It was indeed disappointing that Mr. Harper ignored everything he knows to cut the tax on consumption.  He also knew perfectly well that he was fueling a bigger housing bubble with the 40-year amortization and the big expansion of government-backed mortgage insurance.  The Canada Mortgage Bonds program, and especially cheap portfolio insurance, were and are a fiscal disaster.  Harper did not care (about long-term costs & high house prices) if the activity generated got him his majority.   Having said that, for all his warts and control-freak nature, I would prefer him to the puffball, sellout we have in power now.