"The Closing of the Canadian Mind"

[alcina]

Americans have traditionally looked to Canada as a liberal haven, with gun control, universal health care and good public education.

But the nine and half years of Mr. Harper’s tenure have seen the slow-motion erosion of that reputation for open, responsible government. His stance has been a know-nothing conservatism, applied broadly and effectively. He has consistently limited the capacity of the public to understand what its government is doing, cloaking himself and his Conservative Party in an entitled secrecy, and the country in ignorance.
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Whether or not he loses, he will leave Canada more ignorant than he found it. The real question for the coming election is a simple but grand one: Do Canadians like their country like that?


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/opinion/sunday/the-closing-of-the-canadian-mind.html?_r=0

[Betty Karlson]

1. Alberta is to Canada what Texas is to the USA. n/t

[laundry_queen]

2. Yeah

If Texas suddenly overwhelmingly elected the leader of a leftist political party with socialist roots into governer's mansion.

[Betty Karlson]

4. Is Texas likely to elect Mr. Sanders?

If he can flip Texas, please give him the nomination already!

[Spazito]

7. I'm beginning to wonder if you know this is the Canadian group...

talking about the upcoming election in Canada. I know sometimes, depending on the number of recs an OP gets, it appears on the Greatest, etc, and some don't realize where the OP is located which is why I am wondering about your post.

[Spazito]

5. It used to be but no longer...

It has gone from Texas North to California left and it is absolutely wonderful!

[laundry_queen]

3. Good article

He does have appeal to those who would rather not be bothered by facts. I think it's wearing thin with some conservatives though.

I've nearly convinced my brother to go NDP. He's someone who has been staunchly conservative his whole life. He despises the secrecy and the election shenanigans.

My dad, who was a big Harper fan, is disgusted, especially with the whole Duffy thing. I'm trying to work on him but since the whole NDP win here, he refuses to talk politics with me (he's likely scared he'll have to hear gloating. Like any conservative, he can dish it out but he can't take it).

Yes, Canada is worse off than it was when Harper first came in. Let's hope after the election we will be well on our way to reversing the damage.

[Spazito]

6. Excellent article, it is right on point...

Others outside of Canada can see this, I fervently hope the majority of Canadian voters do as well and turf Harper and the "Harper Government" out on their sorry asses in a defeat as resounding as was done to the Conservatives after Mulroney, from majority government to 5 seats.