Did Jack Layton say that a conservative party should be progressive?

[Boojatta]

Nevertheless, it's possible that a conservative party isn't progressive. If a conservative party is to be named accurately, and if it isn't progressive, then perhaps it is all to the good that the word "progressive" be removed from its name.

However, we shouldn't be so distracted by naming that we neglect to consider substance. Were there members of the old federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada who bore false witness in claiming that the Reform Party of Canada was infested with neo-Nazis? If so, then somebody should do some research to determine whether or not those members of the old federal Progressive Conservative Party are now members in good standing of the federal Conservative Party of Canada. In dropping progressiveness, has the Conservative Party of Canada chosen to embrace people who bear false witness against their political opponents?

Alternatively, were there neo-Nazis in high level positions in the Reform Party of Canada? If there were, then what is the number of neo-Nazis who stayed for the merger and are today movers and shakers in the federal Conservative Party of Canada?

Prime Minister Chretien ensured that there was an inquiry to determine the facts of the matter when RCMP officers sprayed some people with pepper. Perhaps the possibility of a revival of genocidal fascism (this time in North America rather than in Europe) is worth investigating.

[shockedcanadian]

1. Timely posting considering my current legal saga with CSIS/RCMP...

The so called "Neo-Nazis" you are referring to, at least in part were planted by CSIS and the RCMP. There was an article which I posted which explained this to some degree by former CSIS agent Michel Juneau-Katsuya. It had long been suspected that this was what they were doing, of course, CSIS loves to deny and avoid prosecution and embarassment so they maintain their innocence on the issue, at least publicly.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/02/20/17348231.html


In my opinion, CSIS and the RCMP were probably most interested in discrediting The Reform party as they themselves had little influence in this party since it was grassroots. You can be sure that ANY new political party, regardless of their views or political leanings will suffer a similar fate even though CSIS denies that this is the case. The Right is just easiest to paint as racists, it is a convenient angle to exploit. If they had been Left leaning they would have been infiltrated and painted as radicals for other reasons. Furthermore Mr, Harper asked many questions about CSIS and their activities as an MP, this would not have put him in CSIS's good books so they would have doubled their efforts.

[Boojatta]

2. Does the government of Canada allocate money for the RCMP and CSIS

to libel and/or slander political opponents of the governing party?

[shockedcanadian]

3. In one word no

But the intelligence agencies in Canada do as they wish so those paying for the freight are none the wiser. Anything to "fill the pipeline", justify their existence, keep themselves busy, increase the budget and help their own cause. Remember there is essentially no oversight (the SIRC is toothless) and any argument could be made in parliament to explain why any operation is important that is why they have lawyers and PR guys who are the face of the agency. What Canadians have to be weary of is what I consider Political Intelligence gathering. Meaning that when a left-wing party is in federal power CSIS and the RCMP focus their efforts on right wing targets, and when a right wing target is in power they focus their efforts on left wing targets. This type of political pandering is dangerous. It does not matter which side of the political spectrum a threat comes from, it must be handled the same way. If not, we are in trouble.

The fact is the majority of the members of these agencies want to do the right thing, and of course there are many instances where they earn their keep. Unfortunately there is a powerful underlying culture that goes forward with a "God complex". I imagine it is not unlike a schoolyard where peer pressure wins out the day, except these are full grown adults with far too much power who are succuming to the demands. Careers trump security, if one does not toe the line and do what the others are doing they cannot expect promotion through the organization. Democracy and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are not a consideration for these organizations because they feel their mandate (whatever they make up as they go along) takes presidence over anything else. If all else fails, they simply invoke National Security, that blanket excuse for anything and everything they engage in. When was the last time you heard of a foreign spy being arrested? How about major organized crime leaders who even foreign government have openly told Canada exist in our borders? Nothing. There were claims almost a decade ago that over 1000 Chinese spies were operating in Canada, yet, there has not been even one high profile arrest. This is unbelievable.

The truth is noone wants to touch this hot potato in Canada. Everyone assumes that anyone targeted must be for a legitimate reason. Most Canadians are not aware that in Canada we allow entrapment tactics by our police forces which is banned in the U.S and the U.K, most do not know how much careerism exists in some of our most important intelligence institutions. Agent provocateurs are so rampant in the Canadian intelligence system that they are accepted...this allows for far less reliability in the intelligence gathered; far less credibility. Check out the RCMP during their activities in Montebello Quebec (its on youtube) a few years ago, you will get the idea.

I am sure Mr. Harper has a long memory, so I am hoping he is willing to correct what was wrong then when the Reform were being misrepresented and what other issues remain unacceptable now in 2011. Otherwise, the only true accountability needs to come from the courts.

[iverglas]

5. if you avoid

responding to "questions" like

Does the government of Canada allocate money for the RCMP and CSIS
to libel and/or slander political opponents of the governing party?

you will probably save yourself considerable annoyance here.

[iverglas]

4. the word "progressive" in "Progressive Conservative"

resulted from an earlier party merger.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001863

Encouraged by Meighen, Manitoba Premier John BRACKEN, a Progressive with no Conservative experience, sought and won the 1942 leadership, and the party's name was changed to the Progressive Conservative Party. It was attempting to turn left in order to place itself on the path of wartime reform sentiment. But the CCF and the Liberals were also moving left. In 1944 the Conservatives were caught up again in the pro-conscription movement. Although the Liberals brought in conscription, the Conservatives' enthusiasm ensured that they would bear the blame. In the 1945 election they could not even find candidates for most Québec ridings. Elsewhere, conscription was largely forgotten when the war ended. The PCs came fourth on the Prairies, behind the CCF, Liberals and Social Credit.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0006514

The Progressive Party was formed in 1920 when Ontario and prairie farmers on the Canadian Council of Agriculture united with dissident Liberals led by Thomas CRERAR, who resigned from the federal Cabinet in 1919 opposing high tariffs. In November 1918 the CCA had proposed a "New National Policy" of free trade, nationalization (particularly of railways) and direct democracy. Under Crerar the Progressive Party permanently broke the 2-party pattern of federal politics in the 1921 election: it won 65 seats in the West, Ontario and New Brunswick, and was the second-largest party in Parliament. However, it was unable to act cohesively when facing the new minority Liberal government. Many party members were former Liberals who wanted only to shift their old party to free trade. Others wanted a more radical party. Although public support dropped in the 1925 and 1926 elections, agrarian revolt and the Progressive Party had transformed Canadian politics. The more radical members joined the CO-OPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION in 1932 and others linked with the CONSERVATIVE PARTY in 1942.

If you want to know about the neo-Nazi allegations/connections and think they should be investigated, you might investigate the investigations ... but I guess if you don't know where to start ... try here:

http://www.straightgoods.com/item313.shtml

Bentley, Alberta: Hellfire, Neo-Nazis and Stockwell Day

A two-part look inside the little town that nurtured a would-be prime minister - and some of the most notorious hate-mongers in Canada

Part 1: Day's roots in the religious right
Part 2: The Neo-Nazi connection

You probably haven't seen the TV movie about Jim Keegstra, starring Raquel Welch and set somewhere in Trailerville USA ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096044/

Hmm, there seems to have been a Canadian-set version as well.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095121/