Looking Through the Peephole: Harpers Campaign

A guest post by Pamela Mac Neil

The MSM and the opposition has given Harper another pass. What would it take for them to call him on his dictatorial, undemocratic behaviour? This behaviour is now being done in front of all Canadians. This behaviour also doesn't bother the CBC, as they give him full exposure at all of his rigged campaign stops. A PM who only lets Canadians who are from his base into his campaign stops is a tyrant. The exclusion of 2/3rds of Canadians from attending these campaign stops is nothing short of dictatorial. This is what autocrats do in dictatorships. Why is he not challenged about this? He is like a man who wants the job of a CEO of a company and only attends one interview ignoring the other 3 preset interviews and still expects to be offered the job. Joe Clarke said there has never, ever been a PM in the history of Canada like Harper, who does not govern for the WHOLE of the country, but instead governs a select 1/3, who are in fact his base and now in an Election he's also campaigning only to that base. The MSM analyzing his campaign strategy and what subjects he will focus on is ludicrous. How can they even take him seriously. His invitation only campaign is the elephant in the room that no one will talk about. He is literally hiding from Canadians.When he governed, or more precisely ruled he did it in secrecy for the most part. Now in his campaigning, he is STILL hiding. Harper never competes on a level playing field. He is still controlling the message.

If he had been governing/ruling during the Duffy trial and during the refugee crisis, we probably would not have seen or heard from him at all. He certainly wouldn't have given a press conference. Because he was campaigning we did get to see and hear him if only for short periods. His comments on the Duffy trial and the refugee crisis came across as lying and as disengenuous. So even though we heard him at short intervals Canadians got to see how deceitful and inept he really is. He constantly fumbled in his answers. Can you imagine if he had been campaigning in front of the WHOLE country. Also, it was hard to watch and listen to him in his interview with Peter Mansbridge. His continuous lying throughout the interview was very apparent. His "I'm not perfect" pitch was meant for Canadians to think of him as this honest, humble guy. Every piece of communication with him is meant to manipulate the listener. Outside of that choreographed communication, he not only is not comfortable, he simply repeats his answer over and over again, reflecting his anxiety of having to speak off the cuff. When he speaks to his base at his choreographed, invitation only campaign stops, it feels like he is trying to put one over on the rest of Canada, as if to say the other 2/3rds of Canadians are not part of this event, they don't count, you are the ones who have my full attention, you are the special ones and his base agrees with him. It's like he wants to get re-elected by sneaking in the back door. If ever there was a prime example of Stephen Harpers cowardly, duplicious and dictatorial character it is his invitation only campaign. Everything that it says to the Canadian majority is an effrontery. It's like he's going across the country in a 'travelling closet.'

Have no doubt, he is sending a clear message to the Canadian majority. He is saying you mean 0 to me. I will govern/rule the way I want and for whom I want. This government and country is not yours, it is mine to do with how I wish. I don't need you to stay in power, and after all it is only power that I want and my base will give it to me. Harper always thinks that he does not have to play by the rules in anything and everything he does and that includes doing whatever it takes to stay in power. He has not been held to account by the MSM for his 9 yrs of rule and their not going to hold him to account now. What about talking about Harpers track record, if at least in the last 4 yrs? Nothing. Silence, as he blathers on about his strong economic management. Even people who don't know economics 101, know that he has been an economic disaster. This or any other part of his track record is not addressed , which I find very strange. Actually I find the whole thing strange . Harper in his bubble singing only to the choir, while the rest of Canada looks on. His base not only goes along with this, but they think it's okay that he only speaks to them. They see nothing wrong with PM of Canada selecting only 1/3rd of Canadians to talk to. They even get offended when a reporter asks Harper a question that the other uninvited 2/3rds of Canadians may want an answer to. It says much about their character that they would be subservient to Harper and besides they feel priviledged that they are the chosen ones.

A peephole is defined as " A small hole that may be looked through, especially one in a door through which visitors may be identified before the door is opened." Ever the tyrant, if Harper gets 4 more years even the Peephole will be gone.

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