Bank Interest Rates have just gone up...nice work Canada.

[...]

Far from the growth figures demonstrating the “sound economic management” as Harper tried to claim under his government...

Huh? Under whose government? You mean his projected figures?

"Harper will TRY to claim..." so yes..projected figures.

...My personal opinion.

.. it is worth noting that Harper's intelligence is well respected by many people. You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss him before he's had a chance to do anything.

Based on your replies here, you seem to be an intelligent person...I bet you are able judge someone's depth of intelligence just by looking into their eyes...

When I look at Harper...I see a block of wood. There is nothing in his persona that tells me he is a leader...despite him being a 'good person'. On the morning of the 24th...the press followed him to watch him drop off his kids at school...if anyone else saw this, please speak up.

It was so painful to watch the awkwardness of this man trying to connect with his kids. He was a stranger to them. Who shakes their kids hands at the school yard. He has no connection to his kids...how do you expect him to connect with the rest of the country. At least Mulroney had that.

At least he appears as though he'll have the good sense to maintain some priorities and focus, as opposed to Martin, for whom everything under the sun was "very, very important" and "fundamental", and who had 12,000 priorities, many of which were addressed in a half-assed manner by throwing millions at the issue.

Like Ernie Eves of the Provincial PC government...he thought he could do it on his own. Martin was so power hungry and greedy and sloppy he got what he deserved.

[CLguy]

Well I remember the close to 20% interest days under the Liberals in the early 80's. Don't remember what their excuse was for that, but it was probably the Conservatives fault.

I had an interesting talk with Max Ward a few years back while I was in Yellowknife. He told me it was the Liberals who destroyed Aviation in Canada and I think he is a guy that ought to know.

[Dust Devil]

Well I remember the close to 20% interest days under the Liberals in the early 80's. Don't remember what their excuse was for that, but it was probably the Conservatives fault.

I had an interesting talk with Max Ward a few years back while I was in Yellowknife. He told me it was the Liberals who destroyed Aviation in Canada and I think he is a guy that ought to know.

I already pointed that out to the Liberals on this site and they just chose to talk about the high interest rates under Mulroney which we're lower than those under the Liberals.

[Dust Devil]

Well I remember the close to 20% interest days under the Liberals in the early 80's. Don't remember what their excuse was for that, but it was probably the Conservatives fault.

I had an interesting talk with Max Ward a few years back while I was in Yellowknife. He told me it was the Liberals who destroyed Aviation in Canada and I think he is a guy that ought to know.

I already pointed that out to the Liberals on this site and they just chose to talk about the high interest rates under Mulroney which we're lower than those under the Liberals.

[Arthur Q]

Birddog if you were a gas you would be inert!

HAHA! Good one...didnt you once work for Jetsgo?

Don't you work for Hicks & Lawrence ?

[ScudRunner]

Birdog

The next morning when the hike was announced...it brought back memories when interest rates climbed to a whopping 19% back in his era, and a recession was well under way. All the while he and his wife Mila were jet setting around the world and a lot into the states.

Again wasnt Canada just following suite of the US ,Britain and the rest of the world at the time.

[...]

Birddog if you were a gas you would be inert!

HAHA! Good one...didnt you once work for Jetsgo?

Don't you work for Hicks & Lawrence ?

Actually I did...great company to work for...I recommend it to anyone.

Arthur...there a red shinny tricycle in it for you if you make it past 100 posts...come on son...we're all cheering for you

[...]

Birdog

The next morning when the hike was announced...it brought back memories when interest rates climbed to a whopping 19% back in his era, and a recession was well under way. All the while he and his wife Mila were jet setting around the world and a lot into the states.

Again wasnt Canada just following suite of the US ,Britain and the rest of the world at the time.

And dark times they were...dark times indeed.

[...]

Awkward drop-off at school, yes. I don't know why the insistence on handshakes with the kids. Perhaps a hangover from the 50+ day election campaign? It was not a heart-warming moment. However, I'm not going to use that to judge his ability to lead the country or implement sound policies.

Harper is not very charismatic. He is no Clinton, who I find captivating.

But stop for a minute and think about how image-obsessed we have become. "Harper got a haircut!".... "Harper is now wearing turtlenecks!" These were practically some of the headlines at the outset of the campaign. I was sitting there thinking "who the hell cares what his hair is like??" We need someone to show leadership, not to make a fashion statement.

Harper has been a political intellectual for the last 20 years -- for basically his entire adult life in fact. He quit the Mulroney conservatives in the midst of their double-majority mandate when he didn't like the direction they were taking because he is a principled individual. He has never really liked the media aspects of politics.

Martin spent years battling Chretien for power, for nothing more than power's sake. He was a good department manager, but not a good leader. Harper, while being a policy expert and policy developer, never really intended to pursue politics in the elected official sense. I think his desire to make things happen is much more genuine than someone like Martin who was chasing the 24 Sussex address for so many years, dividing and destroying his party in the process.

The Liberals have been very successful at demonizing Harper and the party over the last several years. Some of it was justified, with f..king idiots like Darryl Stinson (sp?) and a handful of other wing-nuts from out west. The majority of it was not justifiable or supportable, and it will obviously take the public some time to see the conservatives for what they really are, and have been historically -- a viable alternative to the Liberals.

Good morning and thanks for the reply;

Good points are made in your above post.
True, the Liberal government disgraced itself, not only by allowing an unprecedented level of corruption, but allowing Martin to divide and destroying his party in the process. Chretien was an old dog at the political game and he knew how to play it well...

As for Harper and his hair cuts, or style of walking or being a prolific speaker or not hugging his kids...

...in politics...like in business...image and perception is everything.

Walk the walk talk the talk...everything else is fluff...it's a shame really.

My fan club members are relentless with taking pictures of me when I am not expecting it...for the record...I thought they were chicks

[Wilbur]

Interest rates steadily rose and peaked under Trudeau in the early 80's. They more or less went on a steady decline after that inflation loving money borrowing idiot left Ottawa. They've been at historical lows for a few years now and the Bank of Canada has started raising them slightly to keep inflation in check. This latest rate hike was predicted 6 months ago, as is another 1/4 point increase next month. After that, we may see another 1/4 or 1/2 point through the remainder of 2006 if David Dodge's guidance holds true.

Interest rate changes are determined by the Board of Directors for the Bank of Canada, a crown corporation that operates with considerable independence from government. The government of the day and political parties have little to no influence over interest rate decisions other than that the Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance hold non-voting seats on the Board.

[DA900]

Birddog lol, boy oh boy a discussion with you is like masturbating with a cheese grater... interesting, but mostly painful