Stephen Harper, Fascist?

Canadian Dimensions has an excellent review of the classic 14 traits of a fascist and the winner seems to be Stephen Harper.

While Nick Fillmore, the author of the article, is much more kind to Canada’s current Prime Minister, the comments seem to indicate that many of the categories under question crystallize the point of view that Stephen Harper’s idea of Canada just doesn’t match what the rest of us think it should be.

Do you own survey and post your own scale.  Let me know how it turns out.

Here’s mine:

1. Nationalism: (Excited Delirium: 8).  During the elections and other events, Stephen Harper has put everything and anything he could into Canada winning and winning again.  His constant leveraging of the military and defense spending increases all point to fervent nationalism.
2. Human Rights: (Excited Delirium: 6).  The G8/G20 fiasco was just a start. Watch what happens under Steve’s watch when the crime bill starts putting Canadians in jail by the thousands.  The main reason this isn’t higher is that Stephen Harper actually did initiate the Truth and Reconciliation process Canada’s First Nations People.
3. Enemies as scapegoats: (Excited Delirium: 10).  As he climbed the ladder, it was on the backs of Liberals, Socialists and everyone else that he could turn into a scapegoat.  Harper is an expert at blaming others while failing to take accountability for anything except his own aggrandizement.  Look at the low-level hack with the robo-call scandal as a perfect example of failure to take responsibility.
4. Supremacy of the Military: (Excited Delirium: 10).  Canada is becoming a ‘one-trick’ pony, with defense spending going through the roof.
5. Rampant Sexism: (Excited Delirium: 7).  While he’s not overt about sexist views, the policies of the Conservatives reflect a ‘women should be in the kitchen’ attitude. Read the fine print on a lot of their platform.  You’ll be surprised.
6. Controlled Mass Media: (Excited Delirium: 10).  Harper has the mainstream media locked under his thumb, through the combination of subsidies, advertising close personal connections.  Even the CBC has become a wash-out under his leadership.
7. Obsession with National Security: (Excited Delirium: 10).  Four words:  Vic Toews Surveillance State.
8. Religion and Ruling Elite tied together: (Excited Delirium: 10).  It’s been common knowledge that Harper and his crew get considerable backing from the religious right not only in Canada, but from the US as well.  I’m surprised that Fillmore suggests there isn’t a connection.  I suggest you read Armageddon Factor to kick-start your research.
9. Power of Corporations protected: (Excited Delirium: 10).  The power of corporations in Canada is now an absolute.  Harper would sooner have our parents eating Alpo than retire in dignity while corporate tax cuts continue.
10. Power of Labour supressed/eliminated: (Excited Delirium: 10).  The death of labour in Canada is a done deal.
11. Disdain/suppression of Intellectuals: (Excited Delirium: 10).  Two words:  Stockwell Day.
12. Obsession with crime/punishment: (Excited Delirium: 10).  Three words:  Omnibus Crime Bill.  We are either with them or we are pedophiles (or environmental ‘terrorists’).
13. Rampant cronyism/corruption: (Excited Delirium: 8).   Eight words:  Tony Clement’s Gazebo and the Economic Action Plan.
14. Fraudulent Elections: (Excited Delirium: 10).  While Canadian elections have not been fraudulent per se, Harper’s cynicism towards democracy is more than abundant when we look at the leveraging of vote-splitting, pocket-book politics and other schemes to shift the attention of voters from the real issues.  I originally had this as an 8, but along came the robo-call scandal to remind us that there should be no confidence in this government because they stole the election.

Total score:  129 out of 140.