Harper's gag order

11/06/2004

Shut-up-and-do-what-you're-told campaign

OTTAWA — The self-proclaimed Conservative champion of free speech Stephen Harper is gagging his candidates in the hopes of preserving his stealth campaign to impose a socially conservative agenda.

However, the Conservative leader Stephen Harper must be kicking himself for not extending his gag order far enough. Former Progressive Conservative MP Rick Borotsik is warning voters to carefully weigh their options before voting.
"Red flags on EI, red flags on official bilingualism, red flags on health care, red flags on abortion, obviously," he told the CBC today. "[Stephen Harper] is not bringing it forward. But if it comes forward from his party, he wouldn't stop it.

“What this new party is and what it stands for will come after the election. That's a concern that I have,” Borotsik told Winnipeg CBC host Terry MacLeod.

CanWest News Service sources describe the gag order — what the Tories call an “affirmation” form — forces candidates to “agree not to publicly criticize any other colleague, the Leader or the Party.” Just ask former Saskatchewan premier Grant Devine and former MP Chuck Cadman what would happen if a candidate refused to sign the form, as they did. Both had their party memberships revoked.

Apparently, the gag order doesn't apply to Harper himself, who criticized Conservative MP Scott Reid for speaking out against Canada 's official bilingual policy, or MP Cheryl Gallant, who spoke out last week in favour of repealing hate legislation that has recently been amended to include sexual orientation as one of the protected groups.

Now CBC Ottawa reports the MP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke hasn't been seen since she made national headlines over her views on abortion and gay rights. CBC reports she cancelled an interview Thursday and didn't show up for two all-candidates debates.

I HOPE YOU ALL DO YOUR HOMEWORK.