Friday, October 16, 2009

Obnoxious

If you want a singular example, that reveals what a FARCE the Canadian Economic Action Plan website really is, I encourage you to use the YouTube link on the frontpage. One would think, that this application would direct you to some example of the government stimulus being used effectively, something informative, how to use the renovation credit, even one of those highly partisan ads that are carpetbombing the airwaves, whatever- something related to the nature of the website. But NO, what is the first available video that Canadians will find? Well, you will find this over the top nonsense:



That's right, a government website devoted to the Canadian Economic Action Plan linking to a video of Stephen Harper tickling the ivories. That is just so wrong and obnoxious, on a myriad of levels.

64 comments:

weeble said...

But.....the piano was built using lumber paid for using the home renovation tax credit. It came from recycled floor boards from Rideau Hall (while the GG wasn't looking).

Omar said...

Has anybody else noticed these tacky little numbers outside their local Service Canada lately? I wonder the cost of these irrelevancies?

Andrew P. said...

its not just youtube, they all lead not information about the gov of canada or even the EAP, but rather info on Harper

ChrisInKW said...

This should be setting alarm bells off everywhere: the cult of personality is upon us.

James Bowie said...

What a croc! Good work Steve.

Oemissions said...

Come on all you creative bloggers and Canadian musicians and videographers. There should be some hilarious and poignant responses done.
Some Beattletudes?
Beattlemania revived, Conservative style?
Con Camp!And... Impolitical is reporting our government has snapped up $447,000 in Olympic tickets. What are the details on this?
Will we be paying for MP and Senator trips, meals,lodging to this affair?

Scott in Montreal said...

Peevey Stevie really can't get enough of himself. Insulting.

Anonymous said...

It's a #@$#$% social networking link to a viral video. Who @#$% cares you fucktard.

weeble said...

Who cares Neil? I sure do? Your opinion is not worth the electrons required to create it if you cannot see that this is YOUR money. I want to see my money spent to promote things which matter...not to watch SH playing at some cultural event. Why is there a link to YouTube anyways?
The EAP website should be there to tell Canadians 1) how they, and their business, can benefit. and 2) to show how it making a difference. Actually, #1 is WAY WAY more important than #2. I do not need to see pictures of SH pressing the flesh and handing out cheques...tell me how I can benefit from the gazillions of bucks being dolled out.

Steve V said...

Oh Neil, thanks for representing Harper's base so well, with your high signal commentary.

Anonymous said...

Steve and Marpman: it's clever politics and free advertising thanks to your blog post and Delacourt's blurb. Your guy needs to do something to enrich his cool factor - I dunno, get him to throw a pie or something!

Steve V said...

Free advertising? Oh gawd, even you can't actually believe that.

Take a break, come back, some better spin is surely available upon reflection. That's just SAD.

Jerry Prager said...

'Harpercrite, you dirty Harpercrite, you better watch out."

Jerry Prager said...

A link to here from NNW no less, someone's in the big time.

Unknown said...

What do you think about the video honouring the victims of 9/11... or the video with Barack Obama?

In fact, it seems like the majority of these videos are economic type announcements.

Or are you just upset that the Piano Man's video has had a gazillion views?

WesternGrit said...

Marpman: Do you actually believe Neil knows what electrons are? Aren't they those "new fangled science things the elitist scientists are tossing around, hyuk, hyuk...?"

Canada's Conservatives: Regressing Evolution, One Step At a Time...

Jim said...

Liberals...always whinning over some insignificant detail.

If you wanna wail away why not do it over some thing worthwhile.

This outta make you cry.

http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2009.10.16_PoliticsCAN_EN.pdf

Chew on that!

Ted Betts said...

David:

Every link there - youtube, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. - leads to Say Anything Steve's personal page and whatever he is showing.

Is that appropriate? Or does that feed the established and verified theme that the Tories are using the stimulus to further their own re-election campaign?

- vast vast majority of infrastructure spending going to Tory ridings
- putting party logos and slogans on Government of Canada cheques
- making the EAP website about Harper and not the EAP with all of the Harper photos crowding out everything else, and doing so against the advice of the PCO as we now know. They have since been forced to pull down most of the photos.
- links on the EAP website leading to party websites

Add to that all of the other partisan games Harper has played, up to and including cancelling opposition days and Parliament altogether to avoid a vote of confidence.

Steve V said...

"What do you think about the video honouring the victims of 9/11... or the video with Barack Obama?"

Umm, if you can explain what 9/11 has to do with renovation credits, then you might actually have a point. As it stands, you've just added other examples of inappropriate party propaganda on this website. Thx.

RuralSandi said...

Politiking with the victims of 9/11 is obscene.

I have a friend who lost her ONLY son (one of the 24 Canadians) in 9/11 - yup, I think I have a right to be insulted by this.

Steve V said...

Oh look, more free publicity for the government from the Canadian Press:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hwKDw-gvDAHppTGQLhFcTI5R92sA

Ted Betts said...

Neil-o:

As far as people being pissed off at this, the people who seem almost the most pissed off can be found over at Blogging Tories, most of whom I am pretty certain are not voting Liberal.

Your problem is actually an example of what Say Anything's problem is: you only see things in terms of partisanship. Most Canadians on the other hand are not partisans or even members of another party.

And most Canadians hate it when politicians, especially lifelong politicians like Say Anything who never had a real job affected by the ups and downs of the economy, hate it when politicians use our tax dollars to further their own ends. To most Canadians, it doesn't matter what the last bunch did so long ago. We kicked them out for that, remember? And we'll kick your guys out too for the same pork and arrogance and lack of accountability.

Then you can spend the rest of your days writing books about how "they did it too" is somehow an acceptable mantra of governance.

Steve V said...

Ted

No need for such a detailed response. Always take the source into consideration ;)

Anonymous said...

I had a fantastic blog post but the yutz who owns this blog deleted it.

Three facts for ya.

1) Your guy sucks and is becoming less popular that Dion.

2) Your guy can't beat the biggest asshole in the known universe who is polling in the 167 seat territory right now.

3) Paul Freaking Martin would be polling higher than your guy who sucks. (Did I mention that?)

If you morons think Canadians are going to march through the streets pissing and moaning about how Harper is using the Economic Action Plan for partisan reasons, you're on crack. Canadians don't care. They want their double doubles and their chocolate dips. They don't read partisan blogs like this because they have these things called, you know, LIVES.

Finally, Canadians are getting used to the biggest asshole in the known universe running the country. Despite all the gaffes, all the missteps under Harper's tenure, he's polling majority numbers and your guy is falling fast. He is polling high WHEN EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HARPER IS THE BIGGEST ASSHOLE IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.

Either we like our assholes (and I think Canadians secretly do. Chretien - Asshole. Muldoon - Asshole. Trudeu - HUGE asshole. Clark - pussy - gone in 6 mos. Diefenbaker - Asshole.

Iggy isn't an asshole. Dion wasn't either. You want to win? Ditch Iggy and go with a Coderre.

Steve V said...

Sorry Neil, I inadvertently put on the IQ comment filter.

As for your commentary, you read like a juvenile.

Anonymous said...

The guy, Steve, who can beat Harper is Gerard Kennedy. Trust me. Articulate, educated, speaks to the Timmies crowd and probably a closet asshole.

Serious. Your boy sucks. Nothing personal, he just does. Probably should stop with those Lib coronations, eh? Ten bucks says another month of bad polling numbers, the Libs will start cutting their own throats again and try to ditch the Igster.

Nathan Giesbrecht said...

i can't believe how up-in-arms all you Liberals get for these micro-scandals, while defending the Liberals for years while they literally robbed the public purse. But wait, let me guess.... this is going to be known as Link-Gate forever now, isn't it? Keep crying wolf guys.

Jay said...

I suppose the liberals did it first.

Omar, I haven't seen those signs...yet but a friend who works with a fed dept had a budget "re-allocation" so they can hire a lot of temp employees at a cost to existing employees. Essentially they are pumping up the employment figures. If they get the majority they want, the bottom will fall out of the employment figures early April when the temps are shown the door at year end.

It started last May across several dept's and the problem these conservatives are creating is at some point a lot of these employees cannot be let go after meeting certain eligibility. They are increasing the size of the public service in a recession.

Hows that for a fiscal conservative who believes in small government and few services...supposedly.

There new campaign slogan should be "at any cost!".

Eric said...

Here I was expecting something fantastic like, I dunno, a big image of Stephen Harper playing the piano smack dab in the middle of that website. I looked frantically all around the webpage looking for something, anything resembling a massive, inappropriate advertisement of Harper's piano duet. Finally, re-reading this post, I looked up in the top right hand corner of the screen and saw a link to the PM's youtube account.

Nah, that couldn't possibly be what all this anger and hatred is all about, I thought to myself. But I clicked on it nonetheless.

The latest video uploaded there happens to be the viral video of Harper playing the piano that has gotten so much attention recently.

Big letdown.

I swear if this is what passes for a scandal these days...

I mean, after all, its not like in times past Prime Ministers have used money to buy their governments time to avoid an election, bribed opposition members to win confidence votes, went on massive spending binges in advance of elections to boost their electoral fortunes, posted their buddies to well-paid government jobs and openly bragged about the fact that ridings that vote for them get more money than ridings that don't.

But seriously, you Liberal partisans have two lines of attack with which you can use.

You could complain that Harper has run the country into a massive multi-billion structural deficit and propose a honest and credible method (and no, "just watch me" isn't a credible method) for getting us out of the deficit.

Or you could keep complaining vehemently about those little buttons at the top right hand corner of a government website. And after the next election you'll again be wondering why Harper gained and the Liberals lost.

Steve V said...

Eric

Or, you can walk and chew gum at the same time :)

rockfish said...

And where's the mainstream media on this? Are we going to have to wait until 4, 6 years on when they shake their collective heads and say 'The former PM's narcissistic nature and self-promotion at the cost of Canadian interests took us completely by surprise..."
I said it once and I'll say it again, the MSM here has learned nothing from the American experience of the past eight years. In fact, they're trying to take advantage of the situation to prop up their own industry...

marie said...

Jim, that was an online poll frequented with people like you. It means beans and FYI, seniors make up the biggest percentage of people who do vote and probably more than 50p percent do not have computers and the rest wouldn't even look at polls.
As for Neil, he is an example of the Reform/ConArtists support.

Steve V said...

As for the "up in arms" angle, it is curious how the Con apologists are out in force. What's the big deal?

Steve V said...

Let's get back to one simple question, irregardless of the gravity or huge scandal consideration- do you think it's appropriate to link to a partisan presentation on a government website, that is supposedly non-partisan?

It's a yes or no answer, but it seems conveniently ignored.

Nobody is claiming anything earth shattering, but this is symptamic of a larger issue. People will note, this is the same website which was formerly a Harper lovefest, until people started to notice. Now, a bit more subtle, nothing "plastered", but still playing games.

Anyways, I'm off to watch the news, can't wait to be bombarded with my taxpayer money being used to prop up the Conservatives, under the guise of economic action.

Office said...

>>Let's get back to one simple question, irregardless of the gravity or huge scandal consideration- do you think it's appropriate to link to a partisan presentation on a government website, that is supposedly non-partisan?
<<

It's a moot question. How can a link on a national leader NOT be partisan. It's all about making your boy look good. The link was to the YouTube account of the sitting Prime Minister of Canada - how can it NOT be partisan? He's the effing Prime Minister!!!

Steve V said...

Umm, what is it doing there then? You act like it HAS to be there. Not the brightest crowd, you Cons.

Steve V said...

CTV just had a panel on my little finding. Liberal apologist Bob Fife thought it was quite noteworthy.

Anonymous said...

Kudos, Steve.

You may have single-handedly kicked this much touted "marketing genius" clip into the trashcan.

Yes, everyone, that thud you all heard was the out-of-proportion goodwill Harper's tinkling generated smacking back down onto the pavement. ;)

If it is so "appropriate," why don't they just show that clip for the next millionth iterations of the action plan fodder on the airwaves this weekend?

Steve V said...

Joseph

Not a big deal in the grand scheme, but if the PMO's Soudras has found it necessary to respond, and this story has made it into places like the Edmonton Sun, it's another day of the same narrative we've seen this week. Sounds good to me.


As an aside, I've had a couple emails telling me that using social networking on a website is "modern" and no foul at all. What that argument glosses over, the usage in question has nothing to do with the supposed subject matter of the site. If it was Harper at a stimulus event, well it might be petty, but at least it's coherent. 9/11, the piano man, there is no excuse, other than ignorance.

RuralSandi said...

Tom Clark on Power Play had a photo of a building with a huge Economic Action Plan at work sign, and you know what economic action and stimulus took place in that building? Replacement of a boiler room door - the sign probably cost more than the boiler room door.

You know that Harper, via strategies of Frank Luntz and the Republicans play to the no so intelligent people - first Canadian victim - Neil.

JL said...

Stephen Harper is the Prime Minister of Canada, not just the leader of the Conservative Party, get over it.

The more Liberals whine about inconsequential stuff like this..the better the Prime Minister looks.

And nobody votes for a whiner.

Anonymous said...

Is that why you weren't class president, JL? Snarky I know, but I couldn't resist ;).

Some of us don't vote for politicians who bribe us with our own money. But, hey, we all have our standards.

Have a good weekend.

Steve V said...

JL

Stop whining about the Libs. And, if nobody votes for a WHINER, then Harper would be a fellow at the Fraser Institute by now. Sheesh, he made a career out of bellyaching. 13 years out of power, and all you guys could come up with is 5 ideas, then you were spent and needed the summer to "retool". Please.

JL said...

"Is that why you weren't class president, JL? Snarky I know, but I couldn't resist ;)."

Haha, I WAS class president actually. I raised the time between classes from 6 to 7 to 8 minutes during my tenure! ;)

Steve V said...

Must have been quite a school. You should see the image I have in my mind.

Anonymous said...

Ok, I have to laugh now because so was I. And it's brought us to this monumental intersection in time and place ;).

Seriously, have a good weekend. I really was just having a laugh with that comment. Good on you on that extended class-change interval ;).

I have to get back to another episode of Glee now . . .

JL said...

"I have to get back to another episode of Glee now . . ."

And I've got 30 Rock from last night wating on the PVR..awww..deep down, we're not all that different after all. lol.

Have a good one, Mr. President.

Eric said...

Steve:

So.. I'm expecting to hear about your party's big plan.. any.. minute .. now...

Yep.. its coming right? Seriously? Because if all the Liberals have is "Harper is a nasty guy" just like the last three elections then I'm going to get quite annoyed.

Am I bothered that a government website has a group of small links to the PM's social networking site, twitter, and other sites? Not really.

A politician's job is to get re-elected. To do that they need to be seen as doing good work for their constituents. Its a systematic issue that spans across party lines and through time.

People expect their MPs to work to bring as much benefit to their riding as possible. If they are not seen as being able to do so, then they are replaced with someone who promises to do better.

So our very system forces politicians to do this in order to keep their jobs.

Moreover, adding those buttons probably cost the equivalent of a dozen donuts at Tim Hortons. Not a significant expenditure.

Chretien's scandals actually cost significant amounts of money and Liberal voters forgave him. Some Liberals complaining about this probably voted for Chretien knowing all about his scandals.

Ontario Girl said...

Thanks for the link....WOW...PRIME MINISTER Steven Harper is FANTASTIC...I REALLY enjoyed his piano playing and singing. He's not only SMART and has led our country out of this recession but he has many other talents too. Don't see him sitting around doing NOTHING.Can't understand why Tom Clark and many other media pundits are so disturbed...unless they saw the poles....Guess thats why they are out in FULL FORCE looking for anything that will stick....good luck with that. Go Prime Minister.
PS...I used to vote Liberal.

Jon Pertwee said...

yeah but you used to also be thin Ontario Girl.

Harperchek said...

HARPER DEFICIT

Say it, repeat it often.

HARPER DEFICIT

weeble said...

When I use a GC web-page I am there to find information on how to apply for something, or what I am entitled to. What I do not want to see are videos or testimonials and other crap, and most certainly not partisan or silly things.
I see no need to connect to Harpies Facebook page, or YouTube; its superfulous as to what the page is all about.
The page is blue, traditionally a partisan colour as is orange and red...although red is the colour of our flag...so pick grey or something neutral. Nope...its blue, intentionally chosen to promote the party in power...not the information contained therein.
Don't care about the polls, not relevant to the discussion at hand. Whether Harpie would win the election or not does not change the fact that he is abusing the power of his position and needs to be held accountable. The opposition is attempting to do that, that is their job. Its not whining...it is hilighting a concern and making it known to the public. Whether the public sees this as an issue of concern is another matter...but the opposition needs to keep hitting it. A government that promised transparency is anything but, and that should be held before them.

Steve V said...

OG

Terribly convincing. No really.

marie said...

Eric, you said;

A politician's job is to get re-elected. To do that they need to be seen as doing good work for their constituents. Its a systematic issue that spans across party lines and through time.

Well, Eric, you may be right but do it on their own dime, not mine. This is what its all about Eric even if you haven't figured it all out. Their own money, not on the backs of Canadians tax dollars.

Oxford County Liberals said...

Curiously enough Steve, I see the same parroted talking points by these Con-bots at multiple Prog and Liberal websites, as well as media blogs

Imagine that! For this being much ado about nothing, as these Con-bots claim, they sure are frantically getting on a lot of websites and blogs trying to claim the same thing. They sure do seem to be going to an awful lot of trouble "freeping" these websites over a so-called "nothing issue".

Here's a tip to the parroters; the media and the blogs read the bloggers or the media posts.. they dont read the commentary - because they know that it doesnt reflect opinion necessarily or that it is easy to "freep".. so you're wasting your breath.

If anything.. all the mass posting and denials about how this is such a non-story shows how frantic the Con-bots are that it doesnt become a story.

Combine this with "Cheque-Gate", and the fact you even have some Conservative media commentators and bloggers actually have an original dissenting thought and calling out the Cons for doing this, and you can see where the story has resonance.

Rose21 said...

Silly, silly. The links are to the PM's website and to Youtube videos about various things -- the piano thing comes up because it is a recent video.

Rose21 said...

Marpman: "I want to see my money spent to promote things which matter..."
__
How much of your money do you think was involved in setting up a link. This was a link to a generic site (Youtubes of the PM -- including infrastructure announcements). The links (at the bottom of the site) looked pretty standard to me. Probably more money involved in being selective about links for any given Web site. Marpman, you express concern about how your tax $$ are being spent. I suggest you also think about how much personal energy you expend ranting about non-issues.

Oxford County Liberals said...

And right on cue, Rose21 gets on to parrot another "it's a non-issue" talking point.

You blogging Tories sure are very good trained seals.

Rose21 said...

Scott Tribe (on the other hand) parrots another "it's a issue" talking point. Gee, Scott, which "tribe" do you belong to?

Oemissions said...

Cheese Whiz!
I thought 4 sure these comments would end when it got to 50.
Is this indicative of our deficit?
Maybe some of these commentors get a stimulus for posting.
Like.... they get a little help from some of our PM's friends?

Unknown said...

A couple of quick observations. First off, I find it amusing as hell that a Liberal partisan blog like this is pointing to CTV NEWS, Bob Fife and Tom Clark to bolster their argument since I've seen most Liberal blogs (including this one) argue vociferously that CTV is part of the big pro-Tory news media. The second observation (and I just know I am going to be called a troll for this - they do that, partisans of all stripes, call you a troll when they have no argument from which to diminish the value of an individual's point) is that Neil has effectively nullified the entire point of this thread, albeit, not in the most articulate of ways. Steve (the Blog owner) is troubled, nay, utterly distraught and devastated that there is an itsy-bitsy link on the "Canada's Economic Action Plan" website to the Prime Minister of Canada's YouTube page and when you click on it, you're greeted by Canada's national leader tickling the ivories avec Yo Yo Ma. Got it. I don't see how having a link to a social networking site like YouTube is a terrible thing. The White House has similar links on its web pages. Provincial Governments in Canada have similar links. So is it the link that's upsetting you, Steve, or is it the video itself? Because if it's the link, then I eagerly await reading your words of sheer devastation at learning that other governments in Canada and many branches of the United States Government are linking to YouTube.

Call me a troll all you like, Steve. You're a partisan so I can't expect you to see the forest through the trees. Neil rightly points out one inescapable fact: Michael Ignatieff is not going to be able to defeat Stephen Harper even though Canadians know that Stephen Harper is about as cuddly as a flaming cactus. Your blog post today is an attempt to pour some water on that flaming cactus and hope that your exhortations will garner some interest from the national media in an attempt to distract voters from one inescapable truth: Stephen Harper, who is as Neil puts it, "the biggest asshole in the known universe", is probably going to win a majority government barring something like a nuclear war, pestilence or an act of God.

RuralSandi said...

Biff - too funny. If anyone can't see the forest for the trees...it's a person that call himself "Biff". Hard to take a guy that calls himself Biff seriously.

The Cons trolls overreaction to this is telling isn't it? You know, the whiners that cried about a pack of gum - that was proven not to be paid for by taxpayers. Ya, the whiners that cried about pizza lunches - so much so Rahim Jaffer took some buddies, by plane - at "taxpayer expense" to try to prove he could order pizza later.

It's really very hard to take these Con trolls seriously. They keep lowering the standards daily when it comes to Harper - sad.

RuralSandi said...

Whoops - re Jaffer - meant to say "to see if he could order pizza cheaper".....

Oemissions said...

Biff: I am prayin' hard and .... it ain't for a nuclear war or pestilence!