13 avril 2026 : la dernière chance pour Pierre de prouver qu’il est un véritable chef et d’assumer la responsabilité de ces défections.

Il est temps d’arrêter de tourner autour du pot : nous avons perdu trois députés parce qu’ils n’appréciaient pas le style autoritaire du chef, ni la manière dont lui et l’OLO géraient les relations avec le caucus. Point final. Quiconque pense que d’Entremont, Ma et Jeneroux ont rejoint les libéraux par amour pour Carney et son gouvernement se fait des illusions. C’est absurde. Ils sont passés chez les libéraux parce que c’était leur seule option pour rester députés à long terme. 

Mettons les choses au clair dès le départ : le PCC n’a absolument aucune chance de l’emporter dans les circonscriptions d’University-Rosedale, Scarborough Southwest et Terrebonne. Les récents sondages suggèrent que les libéraux rafleront les trois circonscriptions. Naturellement, comme je m’y attendais, Outhouse a prouvé qu’il ne connaissait rien à la politique québécoise et n’a pas réussi à bloquer un candidat du PCC à Terrebonne. Cette décision – ou plutôt, cette absence de décision – garantit une victoire libérale dans la circonscription. Bravo, les gars ! En politique, on ne vaut que par sa dernière décision, et Outhouse a échoué à ce test, tout comme Pierre. 

En conséquence, les libéraux de Carney obtiendront enfin la majorité à la Chambre des communes et, en théorie, contrôleront le Parlement pendant les quatre prochaines années. Cela signifie que l’heure de vérité a sonné pour Pierre : seuls neuf des derniers sondages donnent aux libéraux une avance à deux chiffres. Pendant ce temps, Angus Reid leur donne une marge de huit points. Le meilleur sondage, datant d’il y a quelque temps, plaçait Pierre en tête du classement des « meilleurs premiers ministres », avec 44 % d’opinions favorables. Aujourd’hui, sa cote de popularité s’établit à -59 %. Prenez un moment pour bien en prendre la mesure. Et voici le coup de grâce : 49 % des Canadiens veulent qu’il démissionne, ce qu’il ne fera pas.

Je félicite Pierre d’avoir modéré son style de leadership, d’être plus ouvert à la flexibilité et aux nouvelles idées, ainsi que pour son approche inclusive récente en matière d’accès aux médias. Cependant, ces changements admirables ne feront pas évoluer ses résultats dans les sondages. C’est comme passer des lunettes aux lentilles de contact. Cela ne fait pas pencher la balance en sa faveur.

Donc… S’il veut avoir une chance de passer le cap des prochaines élections — qui auront probablement lieu l’automne prochain, étant donné que Carney et les libéraux sont tellement avides de pouvoir qu’ils viseront un mandat majoritaire des électeurs —, Pierre devra aborder publiquement ses nombreuses lacunes et s’engager à faire mieux à l’avenir. Outhouse ne lui dira pas ça, mais moi, je le ferai. Sinon, son caucus deviendra encore plus imprudent et frustré, et cela ne peut que se terminer par une remise au goût du jour de la Loi sur la réforme et, au final, par son renvoi sur la même voie qu’O’Toole. Étant donné que ses subordonnés ont joué un rôle actif dans l’éviction d’O’Toole, tout comme votre serviteur, ce serait ironique si cela finissait par revenir comme un boomerang pour mordre Pierre aux fesses.

Bref, Pierre, les mois entre aujourd'hui et l’automne prochain sont ta dernière chance de redresser la barre du Parti conservateur. Profites-en au maximum, sinon tu disparaîtras inévitablement de la scène politique en tant que chef.

Et pour aider tous mes collègues conservateurs à digérer ce qui précède, voici le dernier sondage Léger. Lisez-le, de préférence un verre à la main.

Politique canada : le PLC atteint 49% des intentions de vote - Léger

13 April 2026: Pierre’s last chance to prove he's a true leader and to take responsibility for the defections.

It’s time to stop beating around the bush: we lost three MPs because they didn’t like the leader’s command-and-control style, nor the way he and the OLO managed relations with caucus. Full stop. Anyone who thinks that d’Entremont, Ma and Jeneroux joined the Liberals out of love for Carney and his government is deluding themselves. That’s bullshit. They switched to the Liberals because it was their only option to remain MPs over the long term. 

Let’s make one thing clear from the outset: the CPC has absolutely no chance of winning in the ridings of University-Rosedale, Scarborough Southwest and Terrebonne. Recent polls suggest the Liberals will sweep all three ridings. Naturally, as I expected, Outhouse proved he knows nothing about Quebec politics and failed to block a CPC candidate in Terrebonne. That decision—or rather, the lack of one—guarantees a Liberal victory in the riding. Great going, guys! In politics, you’re only as good as your last call, and Outhouse has failed that test, along with Pierre. 

As a result, Carney’s Liberals will finally secure a majority in the House of Commons and, in theory, control Parliament for the next four years. This means the moment of reckoning has arrived for Pierre: only nine of the latest polls show the Liberals with a double-digit lead. Meanwhile, Angus Reid gives them an eight-point edge. The best poll, from some time ago, placed Pierre at the top of the ‘best prime minister’ rankings, with 44% in favour. Today, Pierre’s rating stands at -59 per cent. Take a moment to let that sink in. And here’s the coup de grâce: 49 per cent of Canadians want him to resign, which of course he won’t do.

I commend Pierre for toning down his leadership style, being more open to flexibility and new ideas, and for his recent inclusive approach to media access. However, these admirable changes will not shift his poll numbers. It’s like switching from glasses to contact lenses. It doesn’t tip the scales in his favour.

So… If he wants any chance of making it through the next election—which will likely take place next fall, given that Carney and the Liberals are so power-hungry they’ll be aiming for an elected five-year majority mandate—he’ll need to publicly address his many shortcomings and commit to doing better in future. Outhouse won’t tell him that, but I will. Otherwise, his caucus will become even more reckless and frustrated, and that can only end with them dusting off the Reform Act and, ultimately, sending him down the same path as O’Toole. Given that his subordinates played an active role in ousting O’Toole, just like yours truly, it would be rather ironic if that ended up coming back like a boomerang to bite Pierre in the ass.

In short, Pierre, the months between now and next fall are your last chance to right the Conservative ship. Make the most of it as party leader, or you will inevitably disappear from that position on the political scene.

And to help all my fellow Conservatives digest the above, here is the latest Léger poll. Read it, preferably with a drink in hand.

Carney's Liberals climb to 49% and lead by 14 points - Leger

More Proof That Trump Is A POS.

As if we need any more. No wonder God has him pissing and shitting himself every day. Payback time, baby. But this fucker never learns:

"Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!"

Trump had told us a while back he didn't expect to make it to heaven. He got that one right, for a change.

Débat de la CAQ à Québec : match nul.

En bref, avec trois cents personnes dans la salle, ce débat s’adressait à ceux qui étaient déjà convaincus, aux partisans les plus fervents de la CAQ. Je ne pense pas que Drainville, ni même Fréchette, soient à la hauteur pour sauver ce gouvernement. Ce gouvernement a fait son temps. 

Cela dit, ce fut un débat sincère et de grande qualité : je trouve Fréchette trop hésitante, trop évasive sur les grands enjeux auxquels le Québec fait face. Elle semble être en perpétuelle réflexion. Cela ne suffit pas pour diriger le Québec. Drainville, quant à lui, est catégoriquement attaché au projet du troisième lien. Il nous rappelle qu’un projet plus à l’est risque d’entraîner des coûts inacceptables. Il accorde la priorité à la conservation et à la protection de l’eau, notre ressource la plus précieuse, mais il est complètement à côté de la coche en ce qui concerne l’extraction du gaz naturel au Québec, notamment sur l’île d’Anticosti et ailleurs. À mon avis, il est temps de se tourner vers le gaz naturel comme mécanisme de transition vers une énergie propre et renouvelable. Cela dit, cette transition s’étalera sur plusieurs décennies et ne se fera certainement pas au cours des dix prochaines années. Drainville ignore complètement cette alternative.

En effet, la CAQ est là pour maintenir une course à trois dans tout le Québec et une lutte à quatre dans la région de la Capitale-Nationale. Telle est la triste réalité de la situation. Nous verrons si les électeurs seront prêts à permettre à la CAQ, même avec un nouveau chef, de sauver sa réputation et son honneur lors des prochaines élections générales cet automne.

The 2027 Taiwan Invasion Pipe Dream.

Xi Jinping is a troubled figure, a man who's ruthless in his quest for total power, who will do whatever it takes to keep it. For Xi, the end definitely justifies the means, as we saw with the take down of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. An extremely dangerous foe indeed. It's rumoured that Xi is isolated in Beijing, having become increasingly paranoid and concerned for his personal safety. As a result, he purportedly sleeps in a fortified bunker.

That brings us to the erratic thinking behind Xi's apparent desire to invade Taiwan, which American national intelligence agencies have publicly predicted could occur as early as next year. Xi's motives are apparently two-fold: an argument suggests that he could easily consolidate power during wartime, with the country rallying to his cause if military victory appeared possible over the medium term. The second reason is more personal and dubious: it's my understanding that Xi believes in the search to extend lifespans and that that also comes into the mix. Taken together, it remains likely that an invasion is only a question of when in Xi's mind. 

However, Xi's removal of Zhang and Liu did not play out as expected. One needs to understand why Zhang was adamantly opposed to invading Taiwan. He recognized that it was insane, given the American commitment to the island. Zhang knew that the Americans could never opt out, even if already engaged in other war operations at the same time. For Trump, or any other president, Taiwan remains a national-security red line in the Indo-Pacific theatre. The other critical motive behind Zhang's opposition to an invasion is the elephant in the room: the open secret in army circles about endemic corruption in the military leading to inoperable and faulty defence equipment and systems. That sad reality, taken from a Chinese perspective, was demonstrated for all the world to see in Iran. Put another way, Xi can't count on military hardware and systems to operate as designed, or even function at all in a wartime environment. That's the brutal reality that Xi faces. It's somewhat ironic that the incorruptible Zhang was the messenger about all of the rampant corruption that has plagued the military for decades. 

Then there are other PLA considerations: it's no coincidence that the likely deaths of Zhang and Liu have not been publicly announced. The longer we wait for news about their fate, the more likely they were summarily executed by national security or police forces. That can only mean trouble for Xi. Eventually, the news will come out, and it won't be to Xi's advantage. When it does, that will seal the deal on the impossibility of invading Taiwan. From that point on, Xi will be at his most vulnerable and could be taken down by the military. In the interim, Xi will undoubtedly do all he can to take back power, but will it be enough? 

Finally, keep in mind the role that the CIA is playing in China, not only egging on and likely in some cases fomenting dissent and unrest in the main cities, but also conceivably playing a hand in the explosions heard across China. Those explosions can't be pinned on the PLA, because if the military were the source, they would have moved against Xi by now. No wonder Xi wants Trump in Beijing on March 31st. The end result, from his perspective, is likely to be disappointing to say the very least. It's a red horse year, and it is rapidly galloping further into the distance. That likely portends ill for the future. Wen Jiabao recently asked the trillion-dollar question. All of China and the rest of the world are waiting for the final answer.

2027年入侵台湾的想法纯属幻想。

习近平是一个心理失常的人物，为了追求绝对权力不择手段，为了死守权力不惜一切代价。对他而言，目的绝对能证明手段的正当性，正如我们在他处理张有夏和刘振利一事中所见。他确实是一个极其危险的对手。有传言称，习近平在北京处于孤立无援的境地；他变得越来越多疑，并对自身安全深感担忧。因此，据说他睡在加固的地下掩体中。

这迫使我们思考习近平表面上想要入侵台湾背后的特殊心态；美国情报机构已公开预测，此事最早可能于明年发生。习近平的动机似乎有两方面：一种观点认为，一旦开战，他便能轻易巩固权力；若中期内有望取得军事胜利，全国人民将团结在他周围。第二个原因则更为个人化且颇具争议：据我所知，习近平相信延长寿命的研究，这也已成为他考量因素之一。综合来看，在习近平的思维中，入侵台湾恐怕只是时间问题。

然而，习近平撤换张和刘的举措并未如预期般展开。必须理解张为何如此坚决反对入侵台湾。他深知，鉴于美国对台湾的承诺，此举纯属疯狂之举。张某深知，即便当时美国正忙于其他军事行动，也绝不会袖手旁观。对特朗普或任何其他总统而言，台湾始终是印太地区内的一条国家安全红线。张某反对入侵的另一个关键动机，是军方内部众所周知的“房间里的大象”——即军队内部根深蒂固的腐败，已导致国防装备和系统无法正常运作且存在缺陷。从中国的角度来看，这一严峻现实已在伊朗展现在世人面前。换言之，习近平无法指望军事装备和系统在战时环境中按设计运行——甚至根本无法运行。这就是习近平面临的残酷现实。讽刺的是，正是张某——一位正直清廉之人——揭露了困扰军队数十年的猖獗腐败。

关于解放军还有进一步的考量：张和刘可能已经死亡，但尚未被官方宣布，这绝非巧合。我们等待他们下落的消息越久，他们被国家安全部门或警方处决的可能性就越大。这无疑是习近平的一大麻烦。消息终将传出，而相关背景肯定对他不利。届时，入侵台湾的可能性将彻底破灭。从那一刻起，习近平将处于极其脆弱的境地，甚至可能被军队罢黜。在此期间，习近平无疑会竭尽全力夺回控制权，但这够吗？

最后，请注意中情局在中国扮演的角色——它不仅在火上浇油，某些情况下甚至可能在主要城市煽动异议和动乱，而且很可能与全国各地听到的爆炸声有关。这些爆炸并非解放军所为，因为如果军方是幕后黑手，他们早就对习近平采取行动了。难怪习近平正寄希望于特朗普3月31日抵达北京。从他的角度来看，结果恐怕至少会令人失望。今年是马年，而这匹红马正疾驰远去。这很可能预示着未来将发生不祥之事。温家宝最近提出了一个价值万亿的问题。整个中国，乃至全世界，都在等待最终的答案。

Why Floor-Crossers Could Destroy The Liberals After Pierre Is Gone.

Carney is likely too clever by half. The Liberals are rolling on the floor from serial orgasms as they decimate CPC ranks one MP at a time and make a first breach in the NDP dyke. Rumours are swirling around Ottawa that most of the NDP caucus will be next: a mass defection sometime after Lewis becomes leader. I'll believe that one when I see it, but back to Carney: the PM better be praying already for a majority because if the GIC drops the writ next fall with the Liberals in search of an increased majority, they may not get it. That strategy barely worked for Ford. In my book, Kory blew it, but I digress.

Voter attitudes have a way of turning on a dime, especially during bad economic times: an Angus Reid Institute poll had the CPC leading by a historic twenty-nine points in late December 2024. So, even Carney is not immune to sudden and dramatic political disruption. Imagine a scenario in which the Liberals are returned in a fall election, but with a minority. Unlikely now, but not improbable. Were the CPC to change leader in the wake of that vote, that could prove to be a huge opening for the Conservatives. Add to that evolving perceptions on floor-crossers: most voters are OK with that right now, but if the economy goes into recession or turns drastically south, Canadians could quickly get religion and sour on Liberal shenanigans as being anti-democratic and opportunistic. That won't happen if Pierre is still the leader, just in the same way that Justin was unable to dig up a comeback issue. But add a fresh CPC leader to the mix, and it becomes a new ballgame, one that likely would highly favour the Conservatives. Depending on who becomes leader, it could even be a return to the Mulroney good times. Laugh if you want to, but remember that Trudeau's departure proved that nothing is ever impossible in politics. With Carney, the Liberals came back from near-certain decimation.

 

Why CPC Floor-Crossers Will Inevitably Bring Down Pierre.

I like my MP, but he made a mistake by saying publicly that there will be no more turncoats. He's wrong. It's an open secret in Ottawa that at least two more CPC MPs are in active discussions with the Liberals. Those conversations are a blatant vote of non-confidence in Pierre's leadership. Notice how the OLO has failed thus far in spinning the defections in our favour, and that won't change going forward.

At first, MPs only had to contend with horrible Best Prime Minister numbers and most of caucus were prepared to play the waiting game and purse their lips. However, that is slowly changing now that the top-line party generic number is consistently in negative double digits. Anyone who thinks that things will get better after the Liberals pull a majority out of the hat is dreaming. MPs are not yet prepared to vote on Pierre's leadership, but that day will come in about a year, when emotions come into play. By then, the party number will still not have begun to turn around, and MPs will want to vote their pocketbook first -- in other words, save their hides in the next election. So, Pierre will go bye-bye, thanks to the Reform Act. I have an idea who will be our Long, but it won't be Chong.

Unfortunately, Pierre has no good options: either he gets the heave-ho next year, or Carney calls a snap fall election, and he loses his job right after the vote. He should be preparing himself psychologically for either eventuality because both scenarios are carved in stone. His leadership is already on its last legs. He just doesn't know it yet. The only remaining open question is exactly when the deed gets done.

CPC: Doing All We Possibly Can To Get Carney To A Majority.

I don't know about you, but I want to find out why three CPC MPs crossed to the Liberals. I'm not buying any of their bullshit about how great Carney is and how he'll keep the country together. I also want to know what the dynamic was in caucus that MADE them cross. Finally, did the leader play a role in their departures? As if I can't guess. I have no proof, but my gut is screaming that if anyone else were the leader, they would still be in caucus, period. 

Now, let's move on to the latest strategic disaster: I'm calling for the immediate termination of all party and OLO Quebec advisers. Their role was to give the leader sound advice that would reduce the chances of the Liberals winning in Terrebonne, and they did the exact opposite -- the recommendations they made allowed for a Conservative candidate in that riding. What a fucking ship of fools! Our job was to pull the CPC candidate, thereby allowing the Bloc to win the riding with a larger majority than it would otherwise have received. For the brainless in CPC circles, we needed a BQ win, and by keeping our candidate in place, we've increased the chances of another Liberal win. Can anyone be more stupid than that? As a result, the Bloc is unlikely to win as the CPC vote siphons off just enough votes to almost guarantee a Liberal win. Great going, hopeless morons. You've done it again. Enjoy yourselves in opposition for at least another four years... Carney is bent over, dying with laughter. Hope he doesn't pull a muscle.

UPDATE: Natural Resources Portfolio.

It comes as no surprise to anyone who invests in or trades natural resource stocks that we're in a bull market, with the latest component to join the party being energy stocks. Other sectors, such as nickel and zinc, have yet to join the party as subsets. As you know, in this sector, bull markets are always punctuated by one to three trough periods during which commodity prices can fall by as much as 50%. That's when I'm in heaven buying QUALITY juniors, intermediates, large-cap and royalty stocks, while the amateurs and tourists are shitting their pants and selling quickly. 

For purposes of this post, I will give you an update on all stocks that have led to at least a twenty-percent gain during the first trough, meaning as of last Friday:

Lavras: 790

Abra: 576 - 341

Thor: 479

Edge Copper: 389

Greenhart: 370

Discovery: 315 - 313 - 310

Osisko Metals: 314

Integra: 280

1911: 265

Radisson: 247

Uranium Energy: 236

Troilus: 235

Elemental: 224

Maple: 223

Cavvy: 186

Triple Flag: 169 - 53

Mako: 165

Nexgen: 156

Vox: 153

Atomic Eagle: 143

Equinox: 139

SPC: 139

White Gold: 136

Metalla: 135

Churchill: 131

Silver One: 130

Stillwater: 130

Homeland Nickel: 128

Mundoro: 126

Sprott Physical Uranium: 125

Empress: 125

Guanajuato: 122

Shamaran: 121

Talon: 114

Orogen: 102

Excellon: 99

Coppernico: 96

Euro Sun: 95

Paladin: 90

Eco Atlantic: 87

BTU: 84

Reconnissance Energy Africa: 82

Buffalo Potash: 79

Silver Tiger: 78

Sable: 76

Generation Mining: 73

Minera Alamos: 69

Bannerman: 66

Solgold: 62

Paladin: 61

B2: 61 - 36

Nexgold: 58

Ongold: 57

Galloper: 56

Cartier: 53

Epic: 53

Scottie: 52

Enquest: 49

Metals Creek: 38

New Found: 34

RTG: 33

Galleon: 32

Wallbridge: 32

Royal Gold: 31

Meren: 30

Gran Tierra: 29

Melkior: 27

Source Rock: 26

Pasofino: 26

Cambria: 23

Orecap: 23

Arc Resources: 20

Dans le blanc des yeux : Anaida Poilièvre Galindo.

Quelle personne remarquable ! 

Petition To Award The Order Of Canada To Don Cherry.

Some Conservatives are backing a petition to award the Order of Canada to Don Cherry. Others, from the province of Quebec, are opposed. One camp says that because of his accomplishments in hockey, he should receive the honour, while another says his remarks about francophones and Quebec should be an automatic disqualifier. Cherry was recently awarded the Order of Ontario.

I see some merit in both arguments, but to settle it, I want to apply the Ahenakew Test: his remarks were judged by the OC Advisory Council as having brought disrepute to the Order of Canada, and GG Clarkson stripped him of his membership.

In both cases, I do not wish to cite the controversial remarks, but Cherry's constitute a pattern. In this case, the AC would have to examine the comments in question and then recommend to the GG whether the award should go ahead. 

I have read the texts of the offensive remarks, and they fail to meet the standard for the award. I have not seen any clarification or contrition coming from Cherry, which is surprising. 

So, in the end, I stand with most of the Quebec Conservative MPs. This should be a teaching moment for the party because, quite obviously, English-speaking CPC MPs don't get it, not one bit. That leaves the leader in a tough spot, having apparently already signed the petition. Ouch. We do indeed still live in a world of three solitudes. What a terrible shame for the country.

CPC: We're Done Now.

It's depressing, and it won't get any better: Idlout crosses from the NDP. Add to that the certainty of the Liberals winning both Ontario byelections, and that's it for us.

The Liberals already have that majority in spirit. And it gets better: Pierre is only 35 points behind Carney, and Carney is planning to prorogue right after the byelections. It's going to be a long three years.

Charles sur Tout le monde en parle.

Charles a fait une bonne impression et n'a pas tardé à sourire. C'est un bon début.

The sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference are currently underway.

As with all state affairs in China, the rumours circulating throughout Beijing and indeed the entire nation could set a world record – some true, others false, but most impossible to verify. In the realm of political intrigue, none can rival the Communist Party, whose masterful strategizing leaves the CIA trailing in its wake. They remain an enigma within another enigma, a mystery shrouded in riddles.

Attempting to discern precisely who is in favour and who has fallen from grace is futile. Despite Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli having been purged by Xi Jinping, the Two Sessions lists still include them as delegates. This indicates the military is awaiting the final verdict on their fate, and that waiting period is drawing to a close. Their fate remains unknown, yet whatever outcome unfolds portends ill for Xi Jinping. Had they been executed, why delay announcing their deaths? Xi likely fears that the military might stage a coup to overthrow him if the generals perished at the hands of his own security forces or police.

Xi Jinping, still in power, appears precariously vulnerable: his decision to sit alongside Party delegates at the opening ceremony of the Two Sessions signals his political fragility and uncertain future. Compounding this, Xi has ceased leaving Beijing, reportedly holed up in a reinforced bunker, exposing his palpable anxiety.

The reformist faction, led by Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao and Liu Yuan, appears to have lost its nerve. They have forgotten the iron law that hesitation leads to demise, a lapse that could prove fatal. The failure of both reformists and the princelings to strike decisively constitutes a grave error. Prioritizing the Party's survival above all else is tantamount to inviting Xi Jinping to execute another flanking manoeuvre. This time, opposing Xi may cost them their lives. The conservatives share equal blame—rumours suggest Zeng Qinghong is privately mediating the rift between Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, effectively offering Xi a lifeline. Can Xi outmanoeuvre his opponents and consolidate power? Time will tell, but the brutal reality is that time is the enemy of the reformists. Xi will fight for survival at any cost—the stakes for him and his family are simply too high.

And what of Li Qiang? Has he begun distancing himself from Xi Jinping? If so, this would be a perilous game indeed. He would do well to remember the fate that befell Li Keqiang while swimming.

全国人民代表大会和中国人民政治协商会议的会议正在举行。

如同中国所有国事，流传于北京乃至全国的传闻足以创下世界纪录——有虚有实，但多数难以求证。在政治阴谋领域，无人能出共产党之右，其运筹帷幄之高明令中情局望尘莫及。他们始终是谜中之谜，谜团裹挟着谜题。

试图准确辨别谁得宠谁失势实属徒劳。尽管张友夏和刘振立已被习近平清洗，但两会名单仍将他们列为代表。这表明军方正等待对其命运的最终裁决，而等待期已近尾声。无人知晓他们生死，但无论结果如何，都预示着习近平将遭遇厄运。若二人已遭处决，为何迟迟不公布死讯？习近平恐怕担忧，若将领死于其安保部队或警察之手，军队可能发动政变推翻他。

仍掌权的习近平看似岌岌可危：他选择在两会开幕式上与党代表同席而坐，昭示其政治脆弱性与未来的不确定性。雪上加霜的是，习近平不再离开北京，据称蜷缩在加固的掩体中，暴露了其显而易见的焦虑。

以胡锦涛、温家宝和刘源为首的改革派似乎丧失了胆识。他们忘记了犹豫者必亡的铁律，这一疏忽可能致命。改革派和太子党未能果断出击，构成重大失误。将党的生存置于一切之上的做法，无异于邀请习近平再次实施侧翼包抄。这次，反对习近平可能要付出生命的代价。保守派同样难辞其咎——传闻称曾庆红正在私下调解胡锦涛与习近平之间的矛盾，实际上为习近平提供了救命稻草。习近平能否智胜对手并巩固权力？时间自会给出答案，但残酷现实是：时间对改革派而言是敌人。习近平将不惜一切代价求生——对他及其家族而言，赌注实在太高。

李强又如何？他是否已开始与习近平保持距离？若真如此，这将是场危险的游戏。他最好记住李克强游泳时遭遇的命运。

Carney Shows His True Colours And Likely Voters Are Busting Down Doors To Support That Cynicism.

What a pathetic joke. Carney has once again shown his real political inclination: he, like every other living and breathing federal Liberal, is only about power, getting and holding on to it by using every trick in the book. Hence, the byelections in University-Rosedale, Scarborough Southwest, and Terrebonne will take place on April 13.

The party of no principles has reached a new low by recruiting a former Ontario NDP deputy leader, Doly Begum, as their candidate in Scarborough Southwest. Some people are calling this turn of events shocking. Not me. I know exactly who the federal Liberals are: willing to send Mom and Dad down the river just to stay in power. Naked political ambition is all they think about. Typically Liberal.

So here are the Liberal plans: they will put unprecedented resources into Terrebonne, knowing that if they take that riding, they will have secured a majority, provided that the next speaker is not a Liberal. Terrebonne will be a referendum on Carney and Blanchet. Quebecers will decide whether the Liberals get a majority. The party that turns out its vote best will win. My money is on the Bloc. In addition, if Outhouse is worth his salt, he'll convince Poilièvre not to run a candidate in the riding, thereby increasing the chances that the Liberals won't win. You know what they say: the enemy of my enemy is at minimum a temporary ally. 

If the LPC lose Terrebonne, they will pick up the pace to try and get more Conservative floorcrossers. And this time, they will go after former CPC cabinet ministers. In short, they will do an Emerson, offer it to anyone who agrees to sit as a Liberal. 

Finally, if neither of these options bears fruit, they will create the circumstances that lead to a fall election. It could be a poison pill or simply a call on Canadians to give the Liberals a majority. 

A three-pronged strategy to get that majority. Carney won't give up until he controls the Commons. And so far, few voters are prepared to storm Parliament Hill to prevent it. 

PP Has To Contend With Bipolar Political Disorder.

Poor Pierre, it can't be easy dealing with bipolar politics. It all started with the euphoria that followed Calgary, once it became clear that the membership was united. Then came the divisions within the caucus and the recent departures that Conservatives consider a betrayal. That's true, but each departure had a snowball effect and showed everyone that the leader's relationship with the caucus was not always harmonious. The OLO often had its thumb on the scale, which irritated dissident MPs, some of whom have now left and others who are still considering their political future. 

Let's dare to look at the polls: yours truly has poopooed the prevailing political wisdom that the last election and the next one will be mainly, if not exclusively, about Trump. In a word, that's bullshit. Canadian electoral trends are almost always linked to likability and strength of character. That's how recent giants like PET, BM, JC and SH won elections. You either liked them or you didn't, but you had confidence in their ability before checking the box.

That's where Pierre fails: many voters don't like him or his anti-woke agenda. They see it as disrupting the mosaic of national politics. You know, the Canadian way of going along to get along. Is this a fair assessment of PP? Perhaps not, but ultimately, politics is about perception, not reality. The Pierre I know and see has mellowed: he is much more confident since getting married and becoming a father, and the sacred sacrament has done wonders for him: he smiles easily now and, with age, no longer takes himself as seriously as he did when he was pegged as Pierre the bomb thrower. Family life has done him good. He is also much less hostile and antagonistic towards the mainstream media, those feared and biased enemies of most conservatives. So... is this perception entirely accurate? The obvious answer is no. But that's how politics works. In short, Pierre is waiting for Carney to slip up, screw up or blow up. And yes, that could still happen, but ultimately, you can't count on that to win an election. Time isn't yet up for the leader, but it is running out fast in the hourglass. Pierre needs to rethink his strategy if he wants to win. He will have to dig deep within himself to find qualities and fresh inspiration leading to a winning formula. Outhouse can't win the next campaign for him. Only he can do that. Over the medium term, we'll see if he can make the most of the situation.

CPC: very slim chances of forming the next government, according to the Léger poll.

Carney's Liberals climb to 49% and lead by 14 points - Leger

PCC : très faibles chances de former le prochain gouvernement, selon le sondage Léger.

 Politique fédérale : écart de 14 points entre le PLC et le PCC - Léger

Léger : Un seul sondage ne signifie pas le début d'un bouleversement.

Le dernier sondage Léger montre que l'avance du PQ n'est plus que d'un point : trente et un pour cent, le PLQ est à un point derrière, le PCQ à quinze pour cent, la CAQ à treize pour cent et QS à neuf pour cent.

Ce qui m'intéresse, c'est la répartition parmi les francophones à travers le Québec, et à cet égard, l'écart est désormais de vingt points entre le PQ et les libéraux, avec trente-neuf pour cent pour le Parti québécois. Cependant, le PLQ mène de neuf points avec trente-neuf pour cent des voix parmi la population âgée de 55 ans et plus. 

En résumé, plus le PQ mobilise son électorat dans les différentes régions du Québec, plus il a de chances de remporter les élections. À ce stade, le PLQ ne peut pas faire la même observation, étant donné que le parti est surreprésenté dans la région métropolitaine de Montréal.

Comme son prédécesseur, Milliard devra faire campagne sur le terrain et démontrer ses profondes convictions. Les électeurs auront à évaluer la stature du chef et son programme. Ils rechercheront un soutien inconditionnel au Québec et une stratégie qui permettra le renouveau et le développement séquentiel de la nation. Ils rechercheront leur champion, ce qui signifie que la confiance sera probablement accordée à un homme plutôt qu'à un parti. Les récentes performances de PSPP à cet égard ont peut-être ouvert la voie à Milliard. Il devra jouer habilement ses cartes pour gagner la confiance des francophones. Ce n'est pas impossible, mais pour l'instant, la tâche semble presque titanesque. 

JFK: Truman Nails The CIA To The Cross.

The Washington Post
December 22, 1963 - page A11

Harry Truman Writes:
Limit CIA Role
To Intelligence

By Harry S Truman
Copyright, 1963, by Harry S Truman

---

    INDEPENDENCE, MO., Dec. 21 — I think it has become necessary to take another look at the purpose and operations of our Central Intelligence Agency—CIA. At least, I would like to submit here the original reason why I thought it necessary to organize this Agency during my Administration, what I expected it to do and how it was to operate as an arm of the President.
    I think it is fairly obvious that by and large a President's performance in office is as effective as the information he has and the information he gets. That is to say, that assuming the President himself possesses a knowledge of our history, a sensitive understanding of our institutions, and an insight into the needs and aspirations of the people, he needs to have available to him the most accurate and up-to-the-minute information on what is going on everywhere in the world, and particularly of the trends and developments in all the danger spots in the contest between East and West. This is an immense task and requires a special kind of an intelligence facility.
    Of course, every President has available to him all the information gathered by the many intelligence agencies already in existence. The Departments of State, Defense, Commerce, Interior and others are constantly engaged in extensive information gathering and have done excellent work.
    But their collective information reached the President all too frequently in conflicting conclusions. At times, the intelligence reports tended to be slanted to conform to established positions of a given department. This becomes confusing and what's worse, such intelligence is of little use to a President in reaching the right decisions.
    Therefore, I decided to set up a special organization charged with the collection of all intelligence reports from every available source, and to have those reports reach me as President without department "treatment" or interpretations.
    I wanted and needed the information in its "natural raw" state and in as comprehensive a volume as it was practical for me to make full use of it. But the most important thing about this move was to guard against the chance of intelligence being used to influence or to lead the President into unwise decisions—and I thought it was necessary that the President do his own thinking and evaluating.
    Since the responsibility for decision making was his—then he had to be sure that no information is kept from him for whatever reason at the discretion of any one department or agency, or that unpleasant facts be kept from him. There are always those who would want to shield a President from bad news or misjudgments to spare him from being "upset."
    For some time I have been disturbed by the way CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational and at times a policy-making arm of the Government. This has led to trouble and may have compounded our difficulties in several explosive areas.
    I never had any thought that when I set up the CIA that it would be injected into peacetime cloak and dagger operations. Some of the complications and embarrassment I think we have experienced are in part attributable to the fact that this quiet intelligence arm of the President has been so removed from its intended role that it is being interpreted as a symbol of sinister and mysterious foreign intrigue—and a subject for cold war enemy propaganda.
    With all the nonsense put out by Communist propaganda about "Yankee imperialism," "exploitive capitalism," "war-mongering," "monopolists," in their name-calling assault on the West, the last thing we needed was for the CIA to be seized upon as something akin to a subverting influence in the affairs of other people.
    I well knew the first temporary director of the CIA, Adm. Souers, and the later permanent directors of the CIA, Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg and Allen Dulles. These were men of the highest character, patriotism and integrity—and I assume this is true of all those who continue in charge.
    But there are now some searching questions that need to be answered. I, therefore, would like to see the CIA be restored to its original assignment as the intelligence arm of the President, and that whatever else it can properly perform in that special field—and that its operational duties be terminated or properly used elsewhere.
    We have grown up as a nation, respected for our free institutions and for our ability to maintain a free and open society. There is something about the way the CIA has been functioning that is casting a shadow over our historic position and I feel that we need to correct it.

__________________________________________________________________________

BLOG COMMENT: This op-ed is a public document, but interestingly enough, the CIA chose to deem it classified, ensuring that it was not "released" by them until December 15, 2004. It is a precursor to The Crow's so-called justification for the killing of Kennedy:

O'Dowd.: Central Intelligence Agency - Statement of Policy.

Trump: What Are They Hiding?

The rash looks like a case of localized shingles, which can be associated with various forms of blood cancer. Is Trump suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which, given his age, has a very low survival prognosis? If that is indeed the case, his outcome is not good. 

Iran: American Boots On The Ground?

You betcha. Why, because all of the Middle East allies will demand it.