Problem is when governments, like Harper's, get used to nationlising private sector debt, it becomes a difficult habit to stop. Have a look at the USA, but also Japan and Korea. In all three countries governments are limit to what they can do because they have too much outstanding debt. As long as we elect neo-con governments, we will see this trend continue. Have a look at how much Bush nationalised. Have a look how much Harper paid GM to close its factories in Canada and move them to Mexico. Harper is in the business of paying off his big business supporters and that is not going to change. If nationalising private debt keeps the dollars flowing into CPC coffers, we will continue to see it.
The bad decisions that Harper is making will definitely drag Canada's economy down during any recovery
first of all, i don't know why politics is getting in this thread.
secondly, i'm not really sure why you referenced PM Harper as "neo-con"...Harper's policies are actually quite centrist, and it is why the opposition has been in opposition the past 6 years...you also blame Bush, yet much of the problems down there were actually started by Clinton's government...sure, "your type" will also pop up and say "but Bush didn't fix any of it", but that isn't the point...Clinton's government wanted every American to own a home, as home ownership helps drive the economy, so his government put into process policies that loosen borrowing requirements and allowed more people to buy homes...in theory, it was likely an innocent good policy, but with the lack of oversight down there, it became a free for all for buyers (no job, no problem)...it created a false economy built on debt, which of course won't last long (as we saw).
thirdly, i don't understand your comment about "Harper paying GM to close factories and move to Mexico"...that comment makes no sense, so i don't really understand what you were trying to say there.
lastly, as we can see, Harper's financial policies haven't ruined Canada during these tough times...he became PM in 2006, and the financial mess started in 2007, so he has been managing our country almost since he won his first election...i'm not saying he is perfect, but saying things like you have said is being intellectually dishonest, or just plain blind partisan drivel.