Stephen Harper International Airport?

[Flacker]

I think renaming Bowden or the Drumheller penitentiary after him would be more fitting.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Federal guidelines usually recommend waiting 5 years after a person has passed before naming something after them.

But then Manitoba named a bunch of lakes after servicemen recently killed in action and then also Jonathan Toews.

Some jurisdictions are more desperate than others.

[Parallex]

#HarperAirport was a fun read last night.

[Zarley]

I think history will look kindly on Harper in the coming years. His reduction of public sector spending as a share of GDP will serve us well, he decreased corporate tax rate has resulted in increased investment, and his trade deals will position us uniquely as the only jurisdiction with investment access to the US, Europe, and most of Asia.


Having said that, I'm not a fan of naming things for people who are still alive.

[Resolute 14]

Some of the comments in this thread really only reinforce something I noted on election night. Many so-called progressives were terrible losers in 2011, and were even worse winners in 2015.

[Drak]

No thanks.

[KelVarnsen]

[trumpethead]

I think this is a little too soon. Calgary should follow the lead of Houston (they waited over 4 years after GHB was out of office) to rename the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1997 after George H. W. Bush. If we wait a few years, many of the freshly minted Harper haters will have moved on to being Trudeau haters (part deux) and this wont be nearly as big an issue.

[Drak]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Some of the comments in this thread really only reinforce something I noted on election night. Many so-called progressives were terrible losers in 2011, and were even worse winners in 2015.

The same can be said for the other side.

But using this thread as an example is a tad sensitive. There's nothing overt here, that I can see, that points to your opinion on the matter

[Locke]

Originally Posted by trumpethead

I think this is a little too soon. Calgary should follow the lead of Houston (they waited over 4 years after GHB was out of office) to rename the Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1997 after George H. W. Bush. If we wait a few years, many of the freshly minted Harper haters will have moved on to being Trudeau haters (part deux) and this wont be nearly as big an issue.

The date rape drug?

[Lubicon]

NO NO NO.

I have no major issues with Harper and seeing as how pretty much every PM is getting something named after him I am fine with that too. Just not our airport. If anything we should officially name it after Fred Mccall, which was the origainal name for the airport anyhow and who is a much more deserving namesake. While we're at it they should rename Edmonton's too, bot after aviation pioneers or heros who have connections to the area:

Calgary (Fred) Mccall International Airport
Edmonton Wop May International Airport

[Coach]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Totally agree. Harper's policies directly targeted one region of the country to the benefit of another; likely to be remembered as the worst economic policy in Canadian history and leading to his party being unelectable in that region for decades. And not to mention that Quebec separatist sentiment is at an all time high after Stephen Harper's term.

Oh no wait. That was Pierre Elliot Trudeau. They didn't name an airport after him did they?

The implication being that they shouldn't name an international airport after a divisive political figure?

I'm OK with that.

Why have a name at all. What's wrong with Calgary International Airport? It's what it is.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Everyone remembers Stephen Harper isn't even actually from Calgary right? At least PET was born and raised in Montreal so he is a native son. Harper was born in Toronto and only moved out here at 18 (and actually went to NoGoodMenton first...). He's a transplant, so it'd be odd to name an airport after him here. More than likely we'll get a HMS Harper instead

[The Yen Man]

I'm ok with naming it Harper International Airport in the future, but right now it's too soon. As some posters have pointed out, if Papa Trudeau can have an airport named after him, then Harper should be able to have one no problem.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I think history will look kindly on Harper in the coming years.

I don't think history will think much of Harper. He just doesn't have much of anything that will be the basis of a lasting legacy. That's not to say he will ultimately be reviled, more so that I think when history looks back on the past 10 years it'll largely just shrug.

No real transformative legislation, no existential national crisis he was a part of solving... he's got the Reform/PC merger I suppose and he might have TPP (depending on whether it's ratified) but even if it is ratified he'll have to share that with Trudeau (who's the one that'll be ratifying it). BUt that's hardly the stuff of national legands.

[Parallex]

Frankly, one of the last thing I'd want named after me would be an airport... I'd rather have my name attached to somewhere that isn't generally a fustratingly soul crushing experience.

[peter12]

It isn't a horrible idea.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I don't think history will think much of Harper. He just doesn't have much of anything that will be the basis of a lasting legacy. That's not to say he will ultimately be reviled, more so that I think when history looks back on the past 10 years it'll largely just shrug.

No real transformative legislation, no existential national crisis he was a part of solving... he's got the Reform/PC merger I suppose and he might have TPP (depending on whether it's ratified) but even if it is ratified he'll have to share that with Trudeau (who's the one that'll be ratifying it). BUt that's hardly the stuff of national legands.

This is pretty much my reasoning for being against it as well. What did he really do to warrant distinction either way?

People have their issues with PET, especially out here, but he did patriate the constitution, dealt with the FLQ crisis, the Quebec referendum, etc.. regardless of where you stand on those issues, they are major events in our history.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Some of the comments in this thread really only reinforce something I noted on election night. Many so-called progressives were terrible losers in 2011, and were even worse winners in 2015.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Frankly, one of the last thing I'd want named after me would be an airport... I'd rather have my name attached to somewhere that isn't generally a fustratingly soul crushing experience.

I'd be fine with naming an Alberta registry office after Harper