Stephen is not motivated by money. He is motivated by ideas and improving a country he loves. Paul Martin, even with his eye on the prize of the prime ministership for the past decade, is motivated by money.
How else to explain why he would avoid paying Canadian taxes on 18 of his Canada Steamship Line ships and paying his foreign crews $2.20 an hour?
How many more million of dollars does Martin need?
Stephen won't likely kiss any babies, except his own, but he will, if given a chance, ensure that those babies won't be saddled with a legacy of crippling debt, inaccessible universities and lost opportunities.
We've had 11 years of a charismatic, self-interested liar running this country.
Frankly, it might be refreshing to have a somewhat aloof, somewhat stiff man of integrity and ideas as our PM for a change.
Francois and Jack:
There were comments about Harper's vision for Quebec--indeed, for all provinces--from a Quebecker, Francois, yesterday in Mar. 29, 04 Jack's Newswatch.
But Harper's anti-centralist propositions will be very appealing to Quebecois (and to many in all provinces). What one must understand is that many of the supporters of separatist parties (Bloc and PQ) aren't so much anti-Canada as they are anti-Ottawa. They aren't so much anti-Canada as they are anti-the way confederation has worked out for the provinces over the last 30 years. Sounds like the opinion of conservatives all around the country. Harper can be spun as anti-Quebec because he doesn't believe in special deals for Quebec. That is certainly how the Libs are gonna spin it. But in reality Harper believes in, what we might now call special deals, for every province. More autonomy for all provinces, not just Quebec. He's not trying to hold Quebec down, he's trying to raise all of the provinces, including Quebec, to a higher level of self-determination.
