Monday, August 25, 2008

Well, Isn't That Interesting

For those of you into conspiracy theories, the similiar dates here are pretty delicious:
Couillard Book to Hit Stores Oct. 14

Moreover, it looks like Couillard is going to use the book to set the record straight and settle more than a few scores. "In this profoundly human autobiography, she responds to the multiple lies, half-truths and speculation that has been written about her over the course of the last few months," reads the catalogue.


According to McClelland & Stewart's website, the 320-page English version of her book, entitled simply My Story, will also hit the shelves Oct. 14.

For those wondering why Harper is suddenly gungho for an election, note the date here:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper may go to the Governor General as early as Sept. 5 to ask for a general election, senior Conservative sources have told CTV News

Sources say Conservatives favour a short election campaign because anything longer would waste taxpayers' money. The shortest allowed by law is 37 days, so an election call on Sept. 5 would mean a vote on Thanksgiving Monday. Because of the holiday, the vote would be pushed to Tuesday Oct. 14.

Wow, so if Harper moves quickly, it just so happens that the calendar would allow the election to take place on the same day Couillard's book will be released. No time to digest the contents, no time for embarrassing angles, isn't that convenient. Just saying.

19 comments:

bigcitylib said...

Interesting that they've suddenly decided to ditch c-484, too.

Jeff said...

I'm sure the publisher will be good enough, in the event of a campaign next month, to release particularly juicy excerpts from the book mid-campaign. It would be a publicity dream for the publisher, guaranteed to get massive media coverage. And wouldn't be too bad either for any party that's not the Conservatives...

Steve V said...

I'm sure our liberal media can garner a few leaks ;)

Mark Dowling said...

Review copies are not unknown even when political motivation is not a factor.

While I am not averse to the deserved discomfort this is causing "El Candillo" I am averse to lining the pockets of Ms. Couillard so let's browse rather than buy eh?

Beijing York said...

Given that Harper just lopped off a $1 million off the book publishing program, I think the publisher might very well be enticed to pre-release excerpts.

RuralSandi said...

Here's another (smirk)....

Massive election-timing-speculation tip!!!
By Paul Wells August 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Gilles Duceppe • How about never? Does never work for you? • Stephen Harper
Oooh these next few weeks are going to be SO exciting.

We have all just received a news release from the Bloc Québécois (official slogan: “It’s Taking a While. Stop Giggling”) which reveals that Mr. Gilles Duceppe will be pleased to meet Mr. Stephen Harper on the 5th, 6th, or 7th of September.

But not before. Too busy. So sorry.

This is huge. Why is it huge? It just is. Huge. It is huge because it means that, since the prime minister cannot call an election until he has met with all the opposition leaders in search of The One with whom he can continue to govern in peace and hard-negotiated legislative agenda, then he cannot call an election until after a Sept. 5 meeting, at the earliest. So an election is at least 11 days away. You could almost call it a “fixed election date,” although that would guarantee it would mean nothing, wouldn’t it?

Anonymous said...

Oh, that is funny. "So sorry, all booked up, short notice, vacation with the family. How does early September work for you?" Just had to laugh.

On a more serious note, I know this might seem a stretch. But is there any possibility that Harper is dancing around this all now in an attempt to stifle voter turnout in the upcoming by-elections. Could the intent be to lower turn-out by just enough to hope they can sneak an unexpected win via their own GOTV operations?

It was just a thought, since some might opt out, almost without thinking about it, if they were hearing it was all a waste of time with a full election looming.

Anonymous said...

You know your party is on its last political legs, when its hanging its chances of success on what a jilted lover has to say about a member of the other party.

Then again, promising to INCREASE our already skyrocketing fuel prices is such a political winner, you probably won't need the ex girlfriend to lead your campaign (hehe)

Mike said...

So anon, what you are saying is that the only party that can really protect consumers from gas hikes is the one whose latest smear campaign mascot was a blog of oil? The one who always has time for the oil industry lobbyists and no one else?

The party that is closely associated with and connected to the oil industry actually has the welfare of everyone but the that same oil industry at heart?

Please Conservatives, run on that, please.

I don't like Dion and I don't vote for any party, but I'd love to see that kind of political blood bath for the pure entertainment value.

Jesus you cons are stupid.

Anonymous said...

mike,

how bout LOWERING fuel prices.

Diesel to be precise.

Pretty much everything you've got in your home, put in your car, and dress your kids with is shipped with diesel fuel.

Harper's gonna lower the tax/price of that, and therefore the price of everything.

Higher prices on everything, or lower prices on everything?

Tough call, that one.

Steve V said...

anon

We must have missed that announcement. So you mean if something is floated in the press, that means its gone into law?

"Jesus you cons are stupid."

There you go Mike.

Besides anon, when is Harper going to admit, that if his fraud of an environmental plan is actually real, it will cause a rise in deisel prices "that isn't trivial" (John Baird). You guys are so turned into knots, it doesn't even make sense anymore. Unless of course, your koolaid comes by the SKID.

Anonymous said...

BTW Mike,

oil companies are a legal entity owned by a bunch of shareholders,

millions of them.

Teachers, auto workers, ect. (through pensions), retirees through RRIF's, middle aged folks through mutual funds and regular stocks.

When the oil companies make money, so do millions.

So that covers the owners. Not eeeeevil money grubbers, but every day people.

Let's talk about the consumers. Those are the folks that cause the oil companies to exist. You see, Mike, there's something called the "market" which dictates what people desire, and correspondingly what people provide (or...gulp sell..I know such a dirty word). We (the rest of us I mean, I assume you must fill your car with water or perhaps orange juice and are thus free of the guilt of enabling these eeeevil oil companies) require oil, so companies who strive to make a profit (just like the companies that make diapers, quilts and orange juice - to fill your car - strive to do).

So, you see Mike, when you make these statements suggesting oil companies are like some malevolent creature, which inherently underscores the lack of the most basic understanding of how things work,

Your pointing the finger and accusing others of ignorance brings a smile to my face.

Anonymous said...

Steve,

correct,

the platform hasn't been announced ..... yet.

But aren't you just terrified of the prospect of Harper making that part of his platform?

Oh you can bet this fuel cut, or something like it will be in his election platform.

It's not brilliant. Heck, it's pretty basic stuff really. But when your going to be campaigning against a guy who's promising to RAISE your fuel prices (and hence the price of everything) this basic move makes Harper look like a bloody economic savior.

Continue to be afraid of the coming election.

Be very afraid.

Steve V said...

anon

YAWNORAMA. Another pathetic dodge and weave.

BTW, that Harper sure looks afraid of something, dude's almost unhinged at the moment.

Anonymous said...

So to recap:

Harper, who's willing to face the electorate and have the public decide on his course of action (and has been since boldly proposing his various legislation as confidence motions),

is "afraid".

Whereas Dion, who's been abstaining on every confidence vote, and now complains about putting his vaunted Green Plan to the electorate,

is courageous.

Interesting perspective.

Gayle said...

Hey biff - clearly Harper is afraid of calling his election after the by-elections. How else do you explain they histeria coming from his camp over the fact Dion will not have time to meet with him until after September 9, and a full 6 days before the next session of Parliament starts?

Anonymous said...

Harper's got one of the longest running minority governments in the history of the nation,

and Dion is crying "what's the rush".

Abstaining left, right and center to avoid an election was pathetic,

but openly begging not to call an election is downright surreal.

Mike said...

"Mike, there's something called the "market" which dictates what people desire"

I'm a libertarian anaon\biff, I'm well aware of "the market". If the Cons actually believe in "the market", why don't they drop the $1.5 billion in yearly subsidies the oil and gas industry gets? How, exactly, is Harper going to "lower the price of diesel"?

Are you in one breathe bellowing at me about the "free market" and in the next completely ok with Conservative interference in the market to lower diesel prices?

You are not just stupid, you are deluded.

Maybe Harper or Dion ought to run on getting rid of the corporate welfare and government subsidies these companies enjoy. After all, They have made record profits for most of the last 8 years, why are they getting any government money, tax - breaks or help building pipelines. You don;t think its a way to internalize profits and externalize costs to the taxpayer do you?

Yeah, I want to see Harper defend that.

Steve V said...

Biff, was Beavis taken?
Whhaaaaaaateeeeeeeeverrr.