... Some say Mr. Harper has a hidden agenda. I disagree. He has a very clear agenda. For some reason however, most people, including mainline media, do not want to believe Mr. Harper means what he says. Here are the facts. continued

Posted with permission of the author:

The Walrus, October, 2004
The Man Behind Stephen Harper
by Marci McDonald

This intensely readable and meticulously researched article on University of Calgary political science professor Tom Flanagan, long-time mentor to Stephen Harper and his party's 2004 federal campaign manager, was originally published in the October/04 issue of The Walrus.

Not well known to Canadians in general, the U.S. born and educated Flanagan made his academic career in Canada discrediting Aboriginal history (his latest book is First Nations? Second Thoughts, McGill's-Queen's University Press, 2000) and by providing expert testimony in court against Native land claims. McDonald brings to light in vivid detail the history of how Flanagan and his academic-political confreres in the "Calgary School" became the brain trust behind the right-wing, pro-American "Conservative" movement in Canada culminating in the Canadian Alliance's takeover of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2003... continued

Vancouver Sun, Friday, August 20, 2004
CanWest News service
Controversial Tory joins Greens: David Scrymgeour raises leadership candidate's cry that environmental party is drifting right
by Bill Curry

OTTAWA -- The Conservative party's first interim executive director David Scrymgeour -- who was also campaign director to Ontario Tory leadership candidate Jim Flaherty -- has jumped ship to work as an adviser to the Green party.

Scrymgeour was at the heart of the infamous backroom deal between David Orchard and Peter MacKay at the final Progressive Conservative convention that gave MacKay the party leadership. Orchard demanded MacKay remove Scrymgeour as the PCs' national director in exchange for his support because Scrymgeour was seen as overly supportive of a merger with the Canadian Alliance...continued

The following April 8, 2003 letter to then PC Party National President Bruck Easton from Grant Orchard, Leadership Campaign Manager for David Orchard, provides the background to why Orchard demanded Scrymgeour's removal as national director.

Toronto Star , Sunday, Jun 27, 2004
No 'progressive' in Harper: Senator
by Sandra Cordon

OTTAWA - On the eve of a federal vote that's certain to be a cliff-hanger, an elder statesman of the former Progressive Conservative party has aimed a final backhand against Stephen Harper.

The new Conservative party led by Harper has carefully wiped out all its progressive elements to create a "reprehensible" right-wing movement, Senator Lowell Murray said one day before a tight federal vote...
continued

The Halifax Herald Limited, Thursday, May 13, 2004
MacKay's financial secret safe with Harper
No conflict, party leader says
by Stephen Maher

OTTAWA - Stephen Harper says he knows who paid off Peter MacKay's debt from the Progressive Conservative leadership campaign and he doesn't believe Mr. MacKay is in a conflict of interest...continued

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