[Eric]

Even though they are in a minority, our tories, who come from populist western roots with the Reform Party, sometimes try their right-wing little tricks ... some things they can't get away with: like re-opening the debate on gay marriage and attempting to insinuate the private sector into public health care. But some things they can do, and are doing, because they tap into the darker aspects of Canadian public opinion. The attitude to immigrants is becoming noticably harsher ... not you white English speaking guys, but muslims and poor people of colour. They can do this because there is a strong current of anger against Islam, approaching Islamophobia in some, which grows in direct proportion to the rising casualty lists from Afghanistan. Ironically, considering that all of us here, apart from the First Nations, are immigrants, there is a growing feeling of isolationism, not quite a "Canada First" movement ... but gettin' there.

I think what I'm trying to hint at in this ramble is that tories can't be trusted. They will screw over the little guy, so that the rich can line their pockets even more. For most of the population, tory times are tough times. When you guys go to the polls and elect the tories, they will gut the NHS; and they will rip great big holes in the social safety net. "This Daniel Hannan guy" is what lies behind the smiling mask ...