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The debate in the House of Commons resumed this week for Parliaments final leg before the next election, and the single word that echoed louder than any other was economy.

Well, economy or one of its many offshoots: Fiscal, budget, middle class, collapse. Oil.

Sure, the Liberals and NDP hammered the Conservatives about the combat-mission-thats-not-a-combat mission heartily enough on Monday. But with the federal election coming up in October, if not sooner, the economy is a point of inevitable debate.

There is the promise of a balanced budget, an oil-dependent economy that falters as the resource dips to $50 per barrel, and a delayed fiscal update.

And the question of whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper is still the best person to man the sails is at the root of it all. Political analyst Gerry Nicholls said the Conservatives still think so, and if it is left up to them the economy will be the focus of the election.

"If the Conservatives have their way, it will be, Nicholls told Yahoo Canada News on Tuesday. The economy is really Stephen Harper and the Conservative Partys trump card. Rightly or wrongly, the default perception for a lot of voters is that Harper and the Conservatives are more competent economic managers than the Liberals or the NDP.

The Conservative Party of Canadas reputation relies heavily on their past economic stewardship, but they face significant questions about it now. The suddenly-plunging price of oil has cast into doubt Harpers promise to release a balanced budget later this year.

Related stories:

Mulcair unveils more platform planks: tax relief for small biz, manufacturers

Canada's economy can weather low oil prices, Oliver tells Commons

Read the rest here:
If not Harper, then who? Conservative economic brand could hold firm in the next election

To the editor: Pete Peterson concedes that the "liberals" are correct that we all rely on others for our success. He says the "conservative" credo differs from liberals, who believe big government should be that "other" upon whom we should rely. ("Republicans need their own rhetoric of reliance," Op-Ed, Jan. 24)

Instead, he says, the conservative believes that it is "civil society" and "family" upon whom we should rely. I find this to be naive.

Before "big government," were children working ungodly hours rescued by civil society (whatever that means) and family? Did the unemployed receive some sort of support when there was no unemployment or disability insurance? Where was a safety net for the elderly?

Yes, there is inefficiency in government. As one who worked for a municipality that addressed efficiencies, or the lack thereof, I saw firsthand many of these issues. Nonetheless, it is naive to suggest that if we rely on the goodwill of civil society and family, all will be well.

Whoever thought that conservatives were really utopians?

Erwin Diller, Encino

..

To the editor: Liberals are all for relying on families, social networks and local governments, yet they recognize that far bigger powers systematically tear down those very institutions.

Progressives like Teddy Roosevelt understood that only a national institution like the federal government could shield the virtues described by Alexis de Tocqueville. There is nothing about national regulations protecting our air and water, for example, or national insurance programs like Social Security that interfere with 18th century British politician Edmund Burke's "little platoons."

Intelligent discussion about how far national government should go is possible, but it will first require a recognition by conservatives that big government is a response to an even bigger economic problem.

Continue reading here:
'Big government' protects us in ways society cannot

Epic Terrorist Response Fails From Famous Liberals
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001782467676 https://ello.co/biffburroughs http://biffburroghs.blogspot.com/ http://poxyrants.blogspot.com/ https:...

By: Biff Burroughs

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Epic Terrorist Response Fails From Famous Liberals - Video

Carly Fiorina: Hypocrisy of Liberals on Abortion is Breathtaking
Carly Fiorina at the 2015 Iowa Freedom Summit.

By: TheFoundryBlog

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Carly Fiorina: Hypocrisy of Liberals on Abortion is Breathtaking - Video

Premier Kathleen Wynne will meet with Elections Ontario officials this week in an investigation into claims of improper behaviour in a by-election.

Wynne asked Andrew Olivier, the Liberals candidate in Sudbury, Ont., in last Junes general election, not to seek the nomination for the Feb. 5 by-election there because she had another preferred candidate.

Olivier has accused the Liberals of offering him a job or appointment in return for stepping aside for their new star candidate Glenn Thibeault, who left his job as an NDP MP to run for the provincial Liberals.

Olivier, who is quadriplegic and records conversations in lieu of taking notes, released audio of his conversations with two Liberals, including Ontario Liberal campaign director Pat Sorbara.

The opposition parties say the recordings prove Oliviers allegations are true, but the Liberals say the tapes vindicate them, as they were discussing ways Olivier could remain involved in the party or with accessibility work, but only after he was already told he wouldnt be the candidate.

The Liberals say that both Wynne and Sorbara will meet with Elections Ontario this week as it investigates Oliviers allegations.

Continued here:
Wynne to meet Elections Ontario officials over claims of by-election misconduct