I disagree. Iggy mentioned nothing about any Liberal plans and proposed policies should they form the government, and instead just attacked Harper. This was Iggy's chance to tell the nation what a Liberal government would be like, and he didn't seize the opportunity. Again, I would say that Ignatieff failed to assert the Liberal viewpoint entirely.
Well it is up to Canadians to do homework and listen to the substance. Each individual can choose on May 2nd. Iggy did talk about plans, he went over the education passport, his plans to balance the budget by rolling back tax cuts for corporations to a competitive 18%, and then focused on how Harper has disrespected democratic principles. I think he was on message. I walked around and talked to Canadians while canvassing this past week and I'm happy to have heard that people that didn't vote last time are coming out to vote this time. I heard from people that voted Liberal before, but are considering coming out again now that Iggy is leader. This may be a surprise election, maybe not... We shall see.
To a larger argument, I find it interesting how cynicism plays a big role in politics. The system isn't that bad, these governments have delivered results. I don't always agree with how the Harper government operates, but it has delivered for Conservative principles. I disagree with Harper's budgets, but he did lower corporate taxes from above 20% to the coming 15% bracket. He did cut funding for child care. He did stand up against same sex marriage, lost that battle, then moved on. Harper has been responsible for his principles. His immigration ministers Jason Kenney and Diane Finley both changed immigration and reduced skilled worker classes, limited the system, and focused on temporary foreign workers instead of permanent immigration classes... I disagree with them and I want him gone.
But this cynicism that Liberals haven't done anything is beyond annoying.
Liberal accomplishment in the past few years:
*Balanced the budget for nearly a decade after inheriting the worst recession in modern history from the Mulroney/Campbell Tories
*Created a health accord after balancing the budget in 2004/06 under a minority government to secure funding and continue to make the system sustainable well into the future
*Advanced human rights by promoting same sex marriage, creating the largest land jurisdiction in the world to observe this generation's premiere civil rights issue
*Led Canada successfully through the Quebec separatism movement in 1995, basically making the issue null and void, escalating to the 2006 recognition of Quebec as a nation within Canada
*Liberals flat out refused during the 1990's to de-regulate banks, under huge pressure from private enterprise and lobby interests, using the booming US market of that day as the example/excuse, this has led to Canada having a sound housing market with proper mortgage regulation and therefore Canada didn't invest and make the same mistake that the US market did, as well as many European markets that invested into the US boondoggle. The Liberals single handedly are more responsible for Canada's more sound housing policy that allowed the nation to enter the worldwide Great Recession with the least problems, and exit that same Recession more quickly and with the best results.
Harper had nothing to do with it. Harper's budgets are a mish-mash of programs that hand out money to his friends and bow down to NDP and Liberal tendencies just to get it passed.
The list of Liberal accomplishment is long, and it can go on and on. Say what you will about sponsorship, a program that spent $100 million, of which only a portion was mismanaged. The Liberals overall have delivered real results.
The choice Canada has is between "The Harper Government" or a good Liberal government. If people want to waste a vote on Elizabeth May or Jack Layton (a person I personally think is respectable) then that's up to the individual voter. If soft Conservatives who left the Liberals want to continue supporting a government that has demonstrated it is into cuts for the wealthy, is open to privatizing health care, is open to huge corruption.. That is the individual choice.
IMO I think the Liberal government can deliver. The NDP platform is basically the Liberal platform repackaged and slightly changed... It won't form a government, it won't deliver. Liberals can deliver.
Liberals are interested in creating equality of opportunity, not equality of the end result. It is a party that cares deeply about human rights and expanding rights. Liberals have a platform that in every way focuses on enhancing that equality of opportunity, and it is a party that understands a strong free market that is regulated is the answer, not some party that expects government to go around wiping everyone's tush. A good government is the Liberal government, and that is what I'm hoping for. You can only be so cynical, the Liberals have delivered for Canada in the past.
It is time for Canada to make it's choice. I'll observe and keep my fingers crossed for what I want. All the whining and bitching and moaning I hear on Urban Toronto isn't what I heard when I was in the streets of Ontario this past weekend, I found a positive, friendly, proud Canada. I even ran into Conservatives, who I may disagree with, but I respectfully disagreed with. I could care less how cynical people can be, cynicism doesn't build or do anything.
