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Party of One: Stephen Harper and Canada's Radical Makeover
In Party of One, investigative journalist Michael Harris closely examines the majority government of a prime minister essentially unchecked by the opposition and empowered by the general election victory of May 2011. Harris looks at Harper’s policies, instincts, and the often breathtaking gap between his stated political principles and his practices.
Harris argues that Harper is more than a master of controlling information: he is a profoundly anti-democratic figure. In the F-35 debacle, the government's sin wasn't only keeping the facts from Canadians, it was in inventing them. Harper himself provided the key confabulations, and they are irrefutably (and unapologetically) on the public record from the last election. This is no longer a matter of partisan debate, but a fact Canadians must interpret for what it may signify.
Harris illustrates how Harper has made war on every independent source of information in Canada since coming to power. Party of One is about a man with a well-defined and growing enemies list of those not wanted on the voyage: union members, scientists, diplomats, environmentalists, First Nations peoples, and journalists.
Against the backdrop of a Conservative commitment to transparency and accountability, Harris exposes the ultra-secrecy, non-compliance, and dismissiveness of this prime minister. And with the Conservative majority in Parliament, the law is simple: what one man, the PM, says, goes.
Harris argues that Harper is more than a master of controlling information: he is a profoundly anti-democratic figure. In the F-35 debacle, the government's sin wasn't only keeping the facts from Canadians, it was in inventing them. Harper himself provided the key confabulations, and they are irrefutably (and unapologetically) on the public record from the last election. This is no longer a matter of partisan debate, but a fact Canadians must interpret for what it may signify.
Harris illustrates how Harper has made war on every independent source of information in Canada since coming to power. Party of One is about a man with a well-defined and growing enemies list of those not wanted on the voyage: union members, scientists, diplomats, environmentalists, First Nations peoples, and journalists.
Against the backdrop of a Conservative commitment to transparency and accountability, Harris exposes the ultra-secrecy, non-compliance, and dismissiveness of this prime minister. And with the Conservative majority in Parliament, the law is simple: what one man, the PM, says, goes.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
21 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Michael Harris
9 books5 followersOne of Canada’s top investigative writers, Michael Terry Harris was winner of the 1995 Arthur Ellis Award for best true crime book for The Prodigal Husband: The Tragedy of Helmuth and Hannah Buxbaum. Formerly the publisher of the Sunday Express in St. John’s and later the Executive Director of News and Current Affairs for the Newfoundland Broadcasting Corporation, Harris has also been Queen’s Park correspondent for the National Post, and a national affairs columnist for the Sun News Service. Today, he host’s his own radio program, “Michael Harris Live,” on CFRA in Ottawa.
Harris’s previous books consist of the award-winners Justice Denied: The Law versus Donald Marshall (1986), Unholy Orders: Tragedy at Mount Cashel (1990), Rare Ambition: The Crosbies of Newfoundland (1992), The Prodigal Husband (1994). The Judas Kiss: The Undercover Life of Patrick Kelly (1995), was made into a television movie starring Paul Gross, and Lament for an Ocean: The Collapse of the Atlantic Cod Fishery (1998) was a national bestseller. To date, his work has sparked four royal commissions of inquiry.
Harris’s previous books consist of the award-winners Justice Denied: The Law versus Donald Marshall (1986), Unholy Orders: Tragedy at Mount Cashel (1990), Rare Ambition: The Crosbies of Newfoundland (1992), The Prodigal Husband (1994). The Judas Kiss: The Undercover Life of Patrick Kelly (1995), was made into a television movie starring Paul Gross, and Lament for an Ocean: The Collapse of the Atlantic Cod Fishery (1998) was a national bestseller. To date, his work has sparked four royal commissions of inquiry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 29, 2014
The amazing thing about this book is that there is nothing new here. Yet it needed to be written because, as polls show, Canadians seem to have forgotten pretty much all of this. It's all here, from contempt of Parliament to an out and out attack on science to the Senate expenses scandal. The Senate expenses scandal chapters are the best. The sheer level of duplicity involved is astonishing and frightening. The Conservatives rode into the House of Commons on the coattails of the sponsorship scandal. Yet they blew much more money, all of it unapproved, on jazzing up Clement's riding for the G8 summit.
The sad thing about this book is that those who should read it won't. Supporters of the Conservatives or even fence sitters will read this, and already have, and immediately dismiss it as a diatribe. An unjustified personal attack against the Prime Minister. Yet nothing here is disputed in fact. So even though Harris employs rhetorical flourish at times, none of the meat of what he reports is in dispute. Most of it is on the public record and what was not was published in the media.
Read this for what it is. A critical analysis of the last 8 years of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper. It is not "balanced" reporting. It is objective reporting. Harris's position is obvious. But to use that to completely disregard all of the thoroughly researched and documented information he puts forward is to either be blindly partisan, or to agree with what is reported. Of course, anyone is free to agree with the actions documented in this book.
This book is brutally honest. That is its shortcoming. Harris makes no attempt at sugar coating. So even if you are the most devout Harper fan, read this book. Go in with an objective mind. Use your faculties of reason and judgment to separate Harris's personal opinions from the evidence put forth. If then, on the basis of that evidence, you still decide to support Harper and the Conservative Party, then so be it. But don't just dismiss it because Harris is passionate about the subject. That would be a mistake. To effectively judge the record of the Conservatives in government, this more or less sums up everything they've done wrong. I can't direct you to a book with the other viewpoint, but it may be out there.
Every Canadian should read this book cover to cover before the next election and then judge for themselves the merits of the evidence put forth.
The sad thing about this book is that those who should read it won't. Supporters of the Conservatives or even fence sitters will read this, and already have, and immediately dismiss it as a diatribe. An unjustified personal attack against the Prime Minister. Yet nothing here is disputed in fact. So even though Harris employs rhetorical flourish at times, none of the meat of what he reports is in dispute. Most of it is on the public record and what was not was published in the media.
Read this for what it is. A critical analysis of the last 8 years of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper. It is not "balanced" reporting. It is objective reporting. Harris's position is obvious. But to use that to completely disregard all of the thoroughly researched and documented information he puts forward is to either be blindly partisan, or to agree with what is reported. Of course, anyone is free to agree with the actions documented in this book.
This book is brutally honest. That is its shortcoming. Harris makes no attempt at sugar coating. So even if you are the most devout Harper fan, read this book. Go in with an objective mind. Use your faculties of reason and judgment to separate Harris's personal opinions from the evidence put forth. If then, on the basis of that evidence, you still decide to support Harper and the Conservative Party, then so be it. But don't just dismiss it because Harris is passionate about the subject. That would be a mistake. To effectively judge the record of the Conservatives in government, this more or less sums up everything they've done wrong. I can't direct you to a book with the other viewpoint, but it may be out there.
Every Canadian should read this book cover to cover before the next election and then judge for themselves the merits of the evidence put forth.
October 24, 2014
Repost from Chris Hedges (Pulitzer Prize winner and former war correspondent for the New York Times) on Canada’s right-wing neocon Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
Harper is a poster child for corporate malfeasance and corporate power, just sort of dismantling everything that’s good about Canada. So he’s the kind of species that rises to political power and is utterly subservient to corporate interests at the expense of the citizenry.
Yeah, he’s a pretty venal figure.
http://www.straight.com/article-73282...
.
Harper is a poster child for corporate malfeasance and corporate power, just sort of dismantling everything that’s good about Canada. So he’s the kind of species that rises to political power and is utterly subservient to corporate interests at the expense of the citizenry.
Yeah, he’s a pretty venal figure.
http://www.straight.com/article-73282...
.
August 27, 2015
I read a few years ago "Harperland" by journalist Lawrence Martin that was mainly received as balanced and fair, but offered a disturbing portrait of the PM as a control freak and vindictive. "Party of One" offers the same observations but in a far more detailed manner due to the greater number of years Harper has ruled. While some of the criticisms authored by Harris might be dismissed as partisan, there are some that are clearly not - for example Sheila Fraser, who is not fondly remembered by either Conservatives of Liberals. One of the author's main points is the absolute deterioration of Parliament under Harper (and to be fair, a process that started many years ago) and the frightening deterioration of privacy laws and oversight. As I write this, the Conservatives have just passed the anti-terror legislation that is a further reduction of the privacy of citizens and a curtailment of rights. Where is this county headed?
March 31, 2015
“Canadians are sleepwalking through dramatic social, economic and political changes surreptitiously being implemented by a government abusing omnibus bills and stifling public and parliamentary debate...Mr. Harper has not played within the rules. Having attained absolute power, he has absolutely abused that power to the maximum.”
This nearly 500 page book is dry at times, but its message is clear. Canada's parliamentary democracy is threatened by Stephen Harper. Michael Harris doesn't waste our time with the usual boondoggles and sixteen dollar orange juice scandals, he confines his review of the government's performance to examples which clearly show that this prime minister and his government really do treat the institution of parliament with the contempt with which they charged and convicted.
Only rarely do we see the personal side of Mr. Harper in this book; this is a litany of what he has done as Prime Minister to alter Canada, not an examination of who he is personally. There is no mudslinging here; just the presentation of some rather terrifying facts. The tone is a little sharpish, but frankly, I don't blame Michael Harris for that. It has left me feeling more than a bit sharpish too.
This nearly 500 page book is dry at times, but its message is clear. Canada's parliamentary democracy is threatened by Stephen Harper. Michael Harris doesn't waste our time with the usual boondoggles and sixteen dollar orange juice scandals, he confines his review of the government's performance to examples which clearly show that this prime minister and his government really do treat the institution of parliament with the contempt with which they charged and convicted.
Only rarely do we see the personal side of Mr. Harper in this book; this is a litany of what he has done as Prime Minister to alter Canada, not an examination of who he is personally. There is no mudslinging here; just the presentation of some rather terrifying facts. The tone is a little sharpish, but frankly, I don't blame Michael Harris for that. It has left me feeling more than a bit sharpish too.
March 3, 2015
Easy to sum up: "Stephen Harper is a Liar"
... not in the sense of protecting state secrets, which is the Noble Lie that we accept must be within our politicians. Ignoble Liar, that employs all the power of state, and even creates a few more powers, to maintain one thing-maintaining power for himself. I see Harper has set his sights on becoming the longest running PM of Canada. Damn the country-he's interested in ticking one of his personal best boxes.
The content is mostly not revealing, if you have been paying attention to this slimiest of slime politicians since Brian Mulroney (and G.W. Bush). I didn't really find myself getting more scared than I already am for our nation. Very little is new here.
What I didn't know is that Stephen Harper has never had a real job in his whole life. He has been a political hack since university. Maybe lots of others knew this but I didn't. It's just another reason to distrust him. He spouts free market blah blah blah yet he never actually participated in it. He only ever was a political zealot/spokesperson for those who did. Even if you accept George Will's thesis about statecraft as a legitimate, even desirable career, his thesis turns on the logic of a serious student of public policy, governance etc. Stephen Harper never studied or embraced a philosophical position on governance, policy or public good. He only embraced a coldly calculated route to power, lied about his beliefs at every turn required and stabbed his mentors in the back if necessary (which it was often-Jim Hawkes, Manning, Flannigan and many more). Tom Flannigan of all people called Harper a "predator." That says it.
Stephen Harper scares thinking people because he epitomizes what happens when someone makes their life inside a small silo. The reason he doesn't scare lots of people, is because we have become a nation in the image of America: People living in their own tiny, tiny silos. But I digress, and this is not specifically the thesis of the author of "Party of One" He just implies it and very tediously at that. This is why I only give the book 2 stars. It is over 500 pages (my copy is 534p) and it is deadly dull. Sadly, it will barely preach to the choir because it is so deadly dull. This is a reference book. Pull it out when you want to quote or discuss any of the many distasteful things Harper has done. Better yet, save this book for his eventual defeat. Deny him any positive spin legacy.
... not in the sense of protecting state secrets, which is the Noble Lie that we accept must be within our politicians. Ignoble Liar, that employs all the power of state, and even creates a few more powers, to maintain one thing-maintaining power for himself. I see Harper has set his sights on becoming the longest running PM of Canada. Damn the country-he's interested in ticking one of his personal best boxes.
The content is mostly not revealing, if you have been paying attention to this slimiest of slime politicians since Brian Mulroney (and G.W. Bush). I didn't really find myself getting more scared than I already am for our nation. Very little is new here.
What I didn't know is that Stephen Harper has never had a real job in his whole life. He has been a political hack since university. Maybe lots of others knew this but I didn't. It's just another reason to distrust him. He spouts free market blah blah blah yet he never actually participated in it. He only ever was a political zealot/spokesperson for those who did. Even if you accept George Will's thesis about statecraft as a legitimate, even desirable career, his thesis turns on the logic of a serious student of public policy, governance etc. Stephen Harper never studied or embraced a philosophical position on governance, policy or public good. He only embraced a coldly calculated route to power, lied about his beliefs at every turn required and stabbed his mentors in the back if necessary (which it was often-Jim Hawkes, Manning, Flannigan and many more). Tom Flannigan of all people called Harper a "predator." That says it.
Stephen Harper scares thinking people because he epitomizes what happens when someone makes their life inside a small silo. The reason he doesn't scare lots of people, is because we have become a nation in the image of America: People living in their own tiny, tiny silos. But I digress, and this is not specifically the thesis of the author of "Party of One" He just implies it and very tediously at that. This is why I only give the book 2 stars. It is over 500 pages (my copy is 534p) and it is deadly dull. Sadly, it will barely preach to the choir because it is so deadly dull. This is a reference book. Pull it out when you want to quote or discuss any of the many distasteful things Harper has done. Better yet, save this book for his eventual defeat. Deny him any positive spin legacy.
January 23, 2015
I thought about burning this book and posting the video as a review. Why? Because I'm a Tory. Which means I like to burn books. I like the screams their pages make. I also lie. And I'm a narrow-minded bigot. (And if you haven't detected the hyberbole yet, then you must be an earnest Liberal with no sense of humour.)
Yes, I'm a Conservative. But, yes, I too am concerned about the centralization of power in the Canadian Parliamentary system. Which I why I thought this book would be a great addition to my political shelf. It would detail Harper's rise and iron control over a docile caucus. Because that's what the jacket and publisher's blurb suggested the book was about.
Instead, it was basically recycled newspaper articles with a little innuendo (Harper gave a speech to right-wingers in America? Shock! He must be a hidden Republican!) and hypocrisy (It's terrible Harper excluded abortions from his funding of maternal care abroad - he should have given more money! But wait, isn't it terrible Harper funds any maternal care abroad when First Nations women are dying!). thrown in. F-35 scandal? Read it already. Contempt of Parliament? Been there. Robocalls? Still following the story in the papers. Wayward senators? Pretty sure I've heard about that. You see, there's nothing new here. No analysis. No narrative of power coalescing around and corrupting the throne. Where is the inside scoop on the Harper Conservatives? Where is the prescription for a better democracy?
I don't hate this book because it offends my ideological sensibilities. I live in a democracy and good people - really good people - disagree with me. I think this is a terrible book because it wasted so much promise. And it wasted four hundred eighty-five pages of my precious time. Yet, I'll keep it as an abiding testament to what terrible political writing looks like.
Yes, I'm a Conservative. But, yes, I too am concerned about the centralization of power in the Canadian Parliamentary system. Which I why I thought this book would be a great addition to my political shelf. It would detail Harper's rise and iron control over a docile caucus. Because that's what the jacket and publisher's blurb suggested the book was about.
Instead, it was basically recycled newspaper articles with a little innuendo (Harper gave a speech to right-wingers in America? Shock! He must be a hidden Republican!) and hypocrisy (It's terrible Harper excluded abortions from his funding of maternal care abroad - he should have given more money! But wait, isn't it terrible Harper funds any maternal care abroad when First Nations women are dying!). thrown in. F-35 scandal? Read it already. Contempt of Parliament? Been there. Robocalls? Still following the story in the papers. Wayward senators? Pretty sure I've heard about that. You see, there's nothing new here. No analysis. No narrative of power coalescing around and corrupting the throne. Where is the inside scoop on the Harper Conservatives? Where is the prescription for a better democracy?
I don't hate this book because it offends my ideological sensibilities. I live in a democracy and good people - really good people - disagree with me. I think this is a terrible book because it wasted so much promise. And it wasted four hundred eighty-five pages of my precious time. Yet, I'll keep it as an abiding testament to what terrible political writing looks like.
November 9, 2014
The first of the self-titled " whither Canada" bundle trilogy (which includes Brent Ragthberger's Irresponsible Government and Donald Gustein's Harperism). Somewhere author Harris had mentioned that writing the book was a heavy and altogether toiling task. Reading it is much the same which it makes it all the more fulfilling in a cruelly unwanted way.
The events are generally well known, as well as the villains and heroes, but there is nonetheless much to learn--a doubly unfortunate paradox of choice---as the grievous actions of this regime continue to offer up one calamity, injustice and coverup after another. Perhaps a revised edition will be necessary sooner than later (sigh). Still, there is a saving grace in the numerous stories and profiles of those people, some known others less so, pushing back and Harris offers the space to learn of and from them. The major and more well known stories like electoral fraud, Senate spending scandals, muzzling and treatment of veterans are told in a straightforward way, and though other questions left out are expected, their absence is no less noticed. The cozy relationships with most mainstream media is given a pass, and the question of religious influence in government (if any) avoided. Perhaps deliberately. In any case The Armageddon Factor by Marcia Macdonald has the latter covered.
An engrossing read that makes me believe that these times are trying times--albeit not necessarily trying TORY times.
The events are generally well known, as well as the villains and heroes, but there is nonetheless much to learn--a doubly unfortunate paradox of choice---as the grievous actions of this regime continue to offer up one calamity, injustice and coverup after another. Perhaps a revised edition will be necessary sooner than later (sigh). Still, there is a saving grace in the numerous stories and profiles of those people, some known others less so, pushing back and Harris offers the space to learn of and from them. The major and more well known stories like electoral fraud, Senate spending scandals, muzzling and treatment of veterans are told in a straightforward way, and though other questions left out are expected, their absence is no less noticed. The cozy relationships with most mainstream media is given a pass, and the question of religious influence in government (if any) avoided. Perhaps deliberately. In any case The Armageddon Factor by Marcia Macdonald has the latter covered.
An engrossing read that makes me believe that these times are trying times--albeit not necessarily trying TORY times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2014
☻
It was G.D. F*35ing amazing.
Best take down of Hair Harper like EVER!
I highly recommend it to all of my 500 subscribers on Facebook.
MUST READING FOR ALL OF #CDNPOLI
.......................
Dear Nadine ✿ܓ @NadineLumley ...Asking you to please RT this. In urgent need for your all of your 850+ followers to see these youtube videos where Michael Harris explains the background information he acquired prior to writing his PMSH book
➤Canadians really need to watch these 3 parts on Youtube
Once done watching it's easy to understand the need to pass this information on.
At this point I choose to believe that we don't know what is going on, and NOT that we don't care. It's not a lot of time, I promise.
➤ Part 1 - http://bit.ly/13PBuXf
➤ Part 2 - bit.ly/1faQxdQ
➤ Part 3- http://bit.ly/1aDLtBj
Thanks a million,
✿ܓ
MYLḔNE
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rm3nsd
..
It was G.D. F*35ing amazing.
Best take down of Hair Harper like EVER!
I highly recommend it to all of my 500 subscribers on Facebook.
MUST READING FOR ALL OF #CDNPOLI
.......................
Dear Nadine ✿ܓ @NadineLumley ...Asking you to please RT this. In urgent need for your all of your 850+ followers to see these youtube videos where Michael Harris explains the background information he acquired prior to writing his PMSH book
➤Canadians really need to watch these 3 parts on Youtube
Once done watching it's easy to understand the need to pass this information on.
At this point I choose to believe that we don't know what is going on, and NOT that we don't care. It's not a lot of time, I promise.
➤ Part 1 - http://bit.ly/13PBuXf
➤ Part 2 - bit.ly/1faQxdQ
➤ Part 3- http://bit.ly/1aDLtBj
Thanks a million,
✿ܓ
MYLḔNE
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rm3nsd
..
April 22, 2015
If you have any concern as to where the current Prime Minister and the CPC are taking Canada, then you may want to take a gander at this book. Harris is not at all complimentary about Harper and has absolutely no shortage of material when it comes to this government's shortcomings. Needless to say it is a left leaning book and will not appeal to those who support the CPCs. However, it is impossible to read this book without coming to the conclusion that Canada has changed and the outside perceptions of Canada has changed under Harper's stewardship. A well-written and thought provoking look at Canadian politics.
Read
April 3, 2015This is a MUST read before the next election. Prime Minister Harper is not just your average politician but has deep rooted ideology and a stranglehold on information sharing. I highly recommend this book
for everyone. In these times we cannot afford to turn our backs on our country and forget what is means
to be Canada. In over 40 years of political involvement I have never felt this strongly about a Prime
Minister and his policies. I urge every Canadian to read this book and think about where are country is
headed.
for everyone. In these times we cannot afford to turn our backs on our country and forget what is means
to be Canada. In over 40 years of political involvement I have never felt this strongly about a Prime
Minister and his policies. I urge every Canadian to read this book and think about where are country is
headed.
January 7, 2016
A very thorough and creepy description of the shenanigans and ideologically-driven governing the Harper government was up to during their majority years.
Reading this after they got the boot at the last election acts as a bit of an exorcism of the whole thing. One can only hope Canada can recover from this terrible period in our history.
Reading this after they got the boot at the last election acts as a bit of an exorcism of the whole thing. One can only hope Canada can recover from this terrible period in our history.
March 7, 2015
A must-read. Pulls together all the questionable events Stephen Harper has presided over in one place - and the effect is shocking.
Read
April 7, 2015 very informative . wish everyone could read this before the next election
Want to read
September 3, 2015The amazing thing about this book is that there is nothing new here. Yet it needed to be written because, as polls show, Canadians seem to have forgotten pretty much all of this. It's all here, from contempt of Parliament to an out and out attack on science to the Senate expenses scandal. The Senate expenses scandal chapters are the best. The sheer level of duplicity involved is astonishing and frightening. The Conservatives rode into the House of Commons on the coattails of the sponsorship scandal. Yet they blew much more money, all of it unapproved, on jazzing up Clement's riding for the G8 summit.
The sad thing about this book is that those who should read it won't. Supporters of the Conservatives or even fence sitters will read this, and already have, and immediately dismiss it as a diatribe. An unjustified personal attack against the Prime Minister. Yet nothing here is disputed in fact. So even though Harris employs rhetorical flourish at times, none of the meat of what he reports is in dispute. Most of it is on the public record and what was not was published in the media.
Read this for what it is. A critical analysis of the last 8 years of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper. It is not "balanced" reporting. It is objective reporting. Harris's position is obvious. But to use that to completely disregard all of the thoroughly researched and documented information he puts forward is to either be blindly partisan, or to agree with what is reported. Of course, anyone is free to agree with the actions documented in this book.
This book is brutally honest. That is its shortcoming. Harris makes no attempt at sugar coating. So even if you are the most devout Harper fan, read this book. Go in with an objective mind. Use your faculties of reason and judgment to separate Harris's personal opinions from the evidence put forth. If then, on the basis of that evidence, you still decide to support Harper and the Conservative Party, then so be it. But don't just dismiss it because Harris is passionate about the subject. That would be a mistake. To effectively judge the record of the Conservatives in government, this more or less sums up everything they've done wrong. I can't direct you to a book with the other viewpoint, but it may be out there.
Every Canadian should read this book cover to cover before the next election and then judge for themselves the merits of the evidence put forth.
The sad thing about this book is that those who should read it won't. Supporters of the Conservatives or even fence sitters will read this, and already have, and immediately dismiss it as a diatribe. An unjustified personal attack against the Prime Minister. Yet nothing here is disputed in fact. So even though Harris employs rhetorical flourish at times, none of the meat of what he reports is in dispute. Most of it is on the public record and what was not was published in the media.
Read this for what it is. A critical analysis of the last 8 years of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper. It is not "balanced" reporting. It is objective reporting. Harris's position is obvious. But to use that to completely disregard all of the thoroughly researched and documented information he puts forward is to either be blindly partisan, or to agree with what is reported. Of course, anyone is free to agree with the actions documented in this book.
This book is brutally honest. That is its shortcoming. Harris makes no attempt at sugar coating. So even if you are the most devout Harper fan, read this book. Go in with an objective mind. Use your faculties of reason and judgment to separate Harris's personal opinions from the evidence put forth. If then, on the basis of that evidence, you still decide to support Harper and the Conservative Party, then so be it. But don't just dismiss it because Harris is passionate about the subject. That would be a mistake. To effectively judge the record of the Conservatives in government, this more or less sums up everything they've done wrong. I can't direct you to a book with the other viewpoint, but it may be out there.
Every Canadian should read this book cover to cover before the next election and then judge for themselves the merits of the evidence put forth.
October 16, 2015
I have just finished reading investigative journalist Michael Harris' book "Party of One - Stephen Harper and Canada's Radical Makeover". The content is disturbing to say the least. One quote I would like to share is from the chapter entitled "Parliament on the Brink" which appears as the final paragraph on p. 439 and is attributed to Robert Marleau. Robert Marleau is a former Information Commissioner of Canada (Jan 2007 - June 2009).
"I see a government that is dismantling, piece by piece, a Canadian mosaic that in a small way a lot of us here helped to build. It is happening behind people's consciousness of it, without the knowledge that it is happening. Canadians are sleepwalking through dramatic, social, economic, and political changes surreptitiously being implemented by a government abusing omnibus bills and stifling public and parliamentary debate....We operate under Westminster rules- an honourable understanding that you will play within the rules and by the rules. Mr. Harper has not played within the rules. Having attained absolute power, he has absolutely abused that power to the maximum."
This is merely one of a multitude of quotes I have found throughout the book that has cast, for me, a black pall over Mr. Harper's stewardship of Canada. We need a change in government and a return to more civilized practices to reclaim Canada's good standing on the world stage. I know that the other political parties have all had similar issues but the treatment of the veterans by the Harper government, the litany of broken promises, and the wholesale gutting of anything remotely based on scientific data I find particularly repugnant. This book and similar books on the other parties should all be required reading for those who care about the proper running of Canada's government.
"I see a government that is dismantling, piece by piece, a Canadian mosaic that in a small way a lot of us here helped to build. It is happening behind people's consciousness of it, without the knowledge that it is happening. Canadians are sleepwalking through dramatic, social, economic, and political changes surreptitiously being implemented by a government abusing omnibus bills and stifling public and parliamentary debate....We operate under Westminster rules- an honourable understanding that you will play within the rules and by the rules. Mr. Harper has not played within the rules. Having attained absolute power, he has absolutely abused that power to the maximum."
This is merely one of a multitude of quotes I have found throughout the book that has cast, for me, a black pall over Mr. Harper's stewardship of Canada. We need a change in government and a return to more civilized practices to reclaim Canada's good standing on the world stage. I know that the other political parties have all had similar issues but the treatment of the veterans by the Harper government, the litany of broken promises, and the wholesale gutting of anything remotely based on scientific data I find particularly repugnant. This book and similar books on the other parties should all be required reading for those who care about the proper running of Canada's government.
September 24, 2015
This book puts into words I couldn't find just why Stephen Harper troubles me so much. Anyone who knows me knows I am a bleeding-heart lefty liberal, and would never vote for a conservative politician - however, I can also respect those whose intentions are good and with whom I simply disagree on just what is best for the country. I bear a grudging respect on that score, for example, for Preston Manning and Joe Clark to this day.
However, Stephen Harper is one of a very small handful of politicians who I not only dislike, but actually fear. And until reading this book, I couldn't quite explain why, other than a few anecdotes and a general feeling. What this book does is put all those anecdotes together - the criminal appointees, the muzzling of and/or retribution towards scientists, civil servants, judges and others who have the nerve to criticize the Harper Government, the abysmal treatment of veterans, to say nothing of the horrible policies that endanger our environment, our social contract with our veterans, and, yes, our democracy (which no - is not even slightly hyperbole, by the way), and oh! So much more. The sheer number of former Conservative colleagues and friends who express their trepidation about this man's leadership in and of itself is telling - there are many backs with many knives in them.
For anyone who finds my un-Sarah-like vitriol against Stephen Harper unusual and wonders why - this book is an extremely good starting point, and highly recommended reading - dare I say, it should be required reading - over the coming month for all Canadians.
However, Stephen Harper is one of a very small handful of politicians who I not only dislike, but actually fear. And until reading this book, I couldn't quite explain why, other than a few anecdotes and a general feeling. What this book does is put all those anecdotes together - the criminal appointees, the muzzling of and/or retribution towards scientists, civil servants, judges and others who have the nerve to criticize the Harper Government, the abysmal treatment of veterans, to say nothing of the horrible policies that endanger our environment, our social contract with our veterans, and, yes, our democracy (which no - is not even slightly hyperbole, by the way), and oh! So much more. The sheer number of former Conservative colleagues and friends who express their trepidation about this man's leadership in and of itself is telling - there are many backs with many knives in them.
For anyone who finds my un-Sarah-like vitriol against Stephen Harper unusual and wonders why - this book is an extremely good starting point, and highly recommended reading - dare I say, it should be required reading - over the coming month for all Canadians.
November 3, 2015
This book read like a thriller. I just couldn't put it down. Whoever said political books were boring? Not this one. I found the activities of Stephen Harper unsettling, shocking and surreal. It's difficult to believe these events could occur in a modern democratic country (the U.S. notwithstanding.) The coverage of the stunning changes to Canadian laws governing the accepted practices of parliament is quite detailed and meticulously documented. Harper callously ignored or in some cases unilaterally changed the laws of both parliament and country to suit his own personal agenda.
The Harper Government was truly a political party and government consisting of the input of only one person. Cabinet ministers, opposition MP's, government scientists, all departments of government were muzzled and stripped of any independence or power. I could go on, but I don't wish to spoil an exciting and disturbing read. This book reveals the breathtaking audacity and arrogance of one politician in a country that hitherto had been viewed internationally as progressive. Needless to say, our new PM, Justin Trudeau, will have a major task in reviving Canada and returning it to something resembling what it was before Harper.
The Harper Government was truly a political party and government consisting of the input of only one person. Cabinet ministers, opposition MP's, government scientists, all departments of government were muzzled and stripped of any independence or power. I could go on, but I don't wish to spoil an exciting and disturbing read. This book reveals the breathtaking audacity and arrogance of one politician in a country that hitherto had been viewed internationally as progressive. Needless to say, our new PM, Justin Trudeau, will have a major task in reviving Canada and returning it to something resembling what it was before Harper.
November 13, 2014
The author provides with a very detailed description of our North American Putin. Like Putin he is a control freak, secrecy is his motto, he prefers military interventions to diplomacy, he has weakened the parliamentary institutions and he has assaulted democratic processes. Personal attacks are his trademark: the Supreme Court judges, the Auditor general, the Budget director, all suffered after having exposed his relentless distortions of facts. Conservative party members have been found guilty of electoral fraud and with tampering with the electoral act. And like Putin everything is about oil and gas revenues at the expense of everything else. He his close to big oil and the ultra rich. He is a dictator within his party and in his office. A lot of his close relationships have had brushes with the law or are being investigated for criminal charges. For the first time Canadian scientists and veterans have announced their intentions to participate in the next elections against his party. The canadian electorate should read this book to confirm the urgency of stopping our Putin.
February 27, 2015
A very good read. I've read a number of Harris's books - "Unholy Orders - Tragedy of Mount Cashel" twice. It's easy to hate the subject of the book but Harris goes past the 'reactionary' and weaves an amazing story of the current state of our country. As if the book isn't chilling enough - I was frozen with a comment he makes in his acknowledgements in the end: "...there was a fear factor involved in participating in this project that I have never encountered before. Some very prominent Canadians decided not to go on the record with their full stories because they feared official reprisals might be the price of frankness - a favourite charity losing charitable status, the loss of a pension, or even charges under national security legislation..." Very chilling that a writer in Canada in the 21st century writes that note in his acknowledgments. Think I'll hide the book on the bottom shelf.
May 11, 2015
Harris said writing about this government was frustrating. It was definitely frustrating to read about it. Party of One is an exhaustive account of Harper's many sins since achieving a majority govt. The book doesn't break much new ground but does a good job collecting all the info that's out there. Harris also provides lots of context from Harper's formative years before leading the CPC. Unfortunately, the book lags at time. There is a lot of attention given to the byzantine senate scandal. I guess that can't be helped, given the clandestine nature of Harper's obfuscation. I also thought Harris occasionally got carried away with Harper's personal foibles. Sure, the guy is probably a prick but it doesn't add much to the argument. The book's penultimate chapter about the disenfranchisement of veterans is particularly hard to read. If you only read one book about Harper, this is probably your best bet.
February 23, 2015
Michael Harris has clearly done a lot of research, and has come to an honest disdain for the Prime Minister, but this really isn't nearly the book it could have been. Is it the need for better editing (so that, for example, Robert Fife is introduced only once), or for a less polemical stance? Not sure, and I'm certainly no apologist for Mr. Harper.
While it isn't as up to date, Lawrence Martin's book from a few years ago was much more satisfying.
Why the 4-star rating then? Partly because I felt (and shared) the author's passion, and he did conduct a number of interviewers with those caught in the PM's crosshairs.
While it isn't as up to date, Lawrence Martin's book from a few years ago was much more satisfying.
Why the 4-star rating then? Partly because I felt (and shared) the author's passion, and he did conduct a number of interviewers with those caught in the PM's crosshairs.
August 2, 2015
This is a book that shouldn't need to be written, especially about a Canadian Prime Minister, but unfortunately it did need to be written, and in fact there is even more that the author could have said to support his argument that Stephen Harper is a dangerous and destructive force in Canadian politics. Sometimes he does get mired in details that are extremely tedious to read--I admit to skimming over some pages--but the book has been thoroughly researched, and is fascinating in its consistency. I would recommend it to anyone who isn't quite sure how they should vote in October 2015, as well as to those who are already committed to changing the direction of Canada's government.
January 8, 2016
If you care at all about our country, read this before it is too late. Get out the vote. It's so important this year. I can only conclude from what I've read that this man does not give a flying fig about our country, our environment or our future. He has muzzled our media and our MPs.
If I were referring to a fictional character as described in this book, I'd use terms to describe that character like:suffocating, banal, with stupefying powers and possibly say that character was hiding his true evilness behind a bland and smug face. But there is no fictional character so clearly I could not say that.
If I were referring to a fictional character as described in this book, I'd use terms to describe that character like:suffocating, banal, with stupefying powers and possibly say that character was hiding his true evilness behind a bland and smug face. But there is no fictional character so clearly I could not say that.
August 13, 2016
I enjoyed this book but am very glad I read it after the October 2015 Canadian election as it's a relief to know that Harper lost and that all of the horrible things he did/presided over while in office he can no longer do as he's no longer our prime minister! Parts of the book made me very angry and at times I felt actually quite hopeless reading it. I learned quite a bit and am glad I read it. I found the writing at times too dense - there were almost too many details - and some chapters felt as though they had been written separately from the rest of the book. But overall it was a good read.
June 17, 2015
A very disturbing revelation of what Harper's agenda is and how he has been undermining Canada's democracy and steam rolling any opposition. If we are not careful, we will become as disliked globally as the USA and worse, we will become a country dominated by the greed of big business and big money. For me, this is not the Canada for my children's children. If you read this and still vote Harper, shame on you!
November 22, 2015
Michael Harris pulls no punches in his report of Stephen Harper's reign of power. It's all here, from the In and Out Scandal to the Senate expense scandal. This book does a tremendous job of reminding us just what Stephen Harper has done, and done to this country's politics. A captivating read, you sometimes forget that this isn't fiction as you tear across pages of corruption and scandal. While die hard tories will dismiss this book, it won't change the disturbing truths within it,
March 21, 2017
A detailed account of the attempt of this detestable man to subvert Canadian democracy. While I was fully aware of just what type of individual we were facing, the details of his Machiavellian machinations are both frightening and loathsome. It amply documents and illustrates that far too much unimpeded power rests with the Canadian prime minister. I can only read so much at a time before becoming totally disgusted.
Currently reading
June 25, 2015Not intended to represent a balanced perspective on the legislative record of the Harper government. Comments from former diplomats and civil servants, as well as scientists, native leaders and apparently non-partisan commentators reveal a high level of perplexity about the government's motives and intended outcomes.
October 15, 2015
I knew someone once who was reading "On the take", which was about the corruption of the Mulroney government. He eventually threw it down half-finished, saying the information disgusted him too much to continue. Well, same thing here.
September 4, 2015
Michael Harris provides plenty of evidence to support his thesis that Stephen Harper has little regard for parliamentary tradition and democracy as it's practiced under Westminster rules. There's little new here, but it is presented clearly.
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