For the Conservatives
By Chris Green, Comm ’06
One consequence of this extra-long winter campaign is that Canadians have been blessed, or perhaps cursed, with even more time to absorb the conflicting viewpoints of our political leaders. Paul Martin in particular has spoken extensively about the supposed successes of his government and his “priorities”—of which he has 57 at last count—for the future. Unfortunately for Martin, a glance at his time in office suggests that his rhetoric and his record simply don’t match up.
On health care, Martin has decried private involvement while at the same time personally using the services of a private clinic. He has presided over a massive drop in federal health spending and failed to act while average patient wait times for specialists rose from 9.3 weeks to 17.7 weeks under the Liberal watch. As finance minister, Martin slashed social transfers by $20 billion, playing the role of Canada’s fiscal saviour while leaving the provinces to clean up his mess.
Regarding environmental issues, Martin’s solution to meeting our Kyoto commitments is to buy emissions credits from Russia, doing nothing for the environment and wasting even more of our tax dollars. At the same time, Canada remains one of the highest-taxed nations in the industrialized world, and I haven’t even begun to mention the billions upon billions of dollars wasted on boondoggles from the gun registry to Human Resources Development Canada to the sponsorship scandal. Now, instead of offering a vision for Canada, the Liberals have sunk to airing vicious and dishonest attack ads designed to frighten voters. Paul Martin has been telling us to “choose your Canada”—is this really the Canada you want?
Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party offer real change from corrupt and arrogant Liberal rule. First, to ensure that the rampant scandal of recent years won’t repeat itself, a Conservative Government will introduce the Federal ability Act, an innovative plan to clean up government by, among other things, banning corporate and union donations to political parties and giving more power to independent watchdogs like the Ethics Commissioner and the Auditor General.
Conservatives will leave more money in the pockets of Canadians—where it belongs—by implementing broad-based tax relief, particularly for middle and lower-income Canadians, and by cutting the GST—a tax Paul Martin once called “a regressive and unfair tax on living” and promised to repeal—to five per cent.
Conservatives will introduce mandatory minimum sentencing for serious drug trafficking, weapons and violent offences, and strengthen our border and airport security. They will also give parents a choice in child care, and will work with the provinces to establish a patient wait times guarantee, ensuring that Canadians have timely access to health services and not just a waiting list. This election, Canadians have a real alternative. We can continue down the Liberal path of scandal and arrogance, content to be governed by politicians who feel they are “entitled to their entitlements,” or we can choose a government that will represent all Canadians, not just political cronies. On Jan. 23, stand up for Canada—vote Conservative.
For the Greens
By Jared Giesbrecht, Law ’08
We in the Green Party of Canada are part of a new and growing “green movement” that is establishing a comprehensive replacement of the old-party politics. This green movement is not only a critique of the old parties and the old ways of politicking—it is a radical critique of global capitalism. Corporate globalization has led to global power structures that not only exploit the earth, but also exclude those most affected by industrialism and commercialization—aboriginal peoples, women, and the poor. We are calling for the inclusion of those who remain excluded by the old politics. We are calling on Canadians to act locally and think globally by demanding local and democratic control over economic and political resources. The Green Party of Canada is part of a movement that is growing throughout the world as more and more citizens, activists and the disenfranchised come together in community to declare their freedom from multi-national corporate control and to reclaim their rights to clean water, healthy food and a meaningful political voice. We are merely one of the formal, political expressions of this worldwide movement that recognizes the interconnectedness of ecological and social issues. Our party is merely one tool to bring about a new way of living sustainably and a new way of doing politics inclusively.
We have a comprehensive policy agenda built upon the common values of the global green movement: ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory democracy, non-violence, sustainability and respect for diversity.
For example, we demand a halt to all oil and gas subsidies, a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, and the creation of a mandatory carbon emissions registry and reduction strategy to encourage clean energy alternatives. We seek to introduce legislation that would ensure Canadian companies apply comparable environmental, employment and social standards at their foreign operation as they do in Canada. We call for the reduction of tuition fees across the country, as well as the creation of needs-based grants. We promote fair economic relationships, human rights and sustainability because we believe that, unlike an increased use of military force, these initiatives will lead to greater global security. The values of the old parties are becoming increasingly clear as they continue to sacrifice the poor, the weak and the voiceless in their fight to gain power. The bankruptcy of the old politics, based upon outdated economics that ignore our dependence upon the earth, will become increasingly clear. As greater and greater environmental and social problems arise around the world, the old parties’ inability to cope will become apparent and they will need to adopt the vision of the green movement. The old politics and the old way of life are simply not sustainable. Green politics is the politics of the future.
As a young party, the Green Party of Canada is growing quickly and attracting young people all across this country. We invite you to us in finding a new way of living and a new way of doing politics.
Please stop by our campaign headquarters at 236 Princess St. for more information, and consider our 2006 election platform online at www.greenparty.ca before deciding how to vote on Jan. 23.
For the Liberals
By Marilla McCargar, ArtSci ’07
The election on Jan. 23 is about choice. An important choice about values—about the Canada we want, the Canada we deserve. While the news today is awash with sensationalized stories of corruption and Stephen Harper’s assertion of his moral and political superiority, we have to take a step back and re-evaluate the basic premise of this election. It is about something much more fundamental than tax cuts and smear tactics. It is about the values we hold, and the values we want Canada to embrace.
Our generation was fortunate enough to grow up learning French along with English, in multicultural cities whose many ethnicities, cultures and traditions enriched our own. Young women of our generation grew up with the knowledge that their bodies would remain under their control, and so they could take their place beside men as equals. These values were established under the stewardship of the Liberal party. They are Liberal values. They are Canadian values.
The Liberal party has shown now more than ever that they are the party for Canada. They have continued their tradition of bilingualism, multiculturalism and tolerance. The Liberal party has brought Canada to the forefront of human rights in the legalization of same-sex marriage—one of the first countries in the world to do so—despite opposition from the Conservative party. This commitment to human rights has been strengthened by Paul Martin’s commitment to amend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and ensure the federal government cannot use the notwithstanding clause. Unlike Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, the Liberals have also remained committed to equality of opportunity. They believe in freeing Canada’s working poor from income tax, whereas Stephen Harper favours a cut to the GST that overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy. Liberals believe in a national daycare system that promotes equality, rather than Stephen Harper’s stratified childcare that only propagates inequality. Liberals believe in equal access to post-secondary education, and would help students by paying for 50 per cent of first- and fourth-year tuition.
Unlike the New Democratic Party, the Liberals have proven their ability to balance social programs with fiscal responsibility. More importantly, they have proven their ability to govern.
This election may also have more to do with our past, with the Quebec referendum of Oct. 30, 1995. Separatism is on the rise in Quebec. Stephen Harper, a proponent of decentralization, who does not hesitate to cooperate with the Bloc Quebecois for purely partisan objectives, cannot successfully weather a referendum as prime minister. In that case, the world as we know it would cease to exist. Canada would cease to exist.
This election is about more than corruption, negative campaigning and policy promises. It is about Canadian values. It is about standing up to the Conservatives and telling them we believe in equality between men and women, between homosexual and heterosexual couples, between the rich and the poor. This election is about Canada’s future. On Jan. 23, it is in our hands.
For the NDP
By Chris Horkins, ArtSci ’04
I for one am fed up with the Liberals. While Justice John Gomery did exonerate all of Paul Martin’s government, he revealed an arrogant “culture of entitlement” within the party, leaving them smeared with the stench of corruption. Canadians don’t want this, they deserve better. But where are they supposed to turn when the most viable alternative, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, seems to be contrary to Canadian values, and so wrong on the important social issues. The polls may seem to indicate that Canadians are being swayed to the right by attractive tax cuts like the reckless five per cent GST promise, but a man who has been caught on record belittling and insulting this country to an American audience is not fit to be our prime minister. So where do we turn when our two options are corruption and wrong-headedness? There is a third option: the NDP.
Now, a lot of people will cringe here. I won’t pretend to ignore the negative stigma that tends to go along with the New Democratic Party, or the fact that many Canadian voters and the media tend not to take the NDP as a serious competitor. Give me the chance to correct some of these notions. Canada’s NDP is not Bob Rae’s group. Jack Layton’s platform is one that is socially progressive and can appeal to everyone. It protects public healthcare and the environment and doesn’t play games with human rights issues like same-sex marriage. It has been thoroughly costed and judged to be fiscally sound. The perception that the NDP is fiscally irresponsible is untrue. When examined against examples of governments at the federal and provincial levels, the NDP has balanced more budgets percentage wise than any other party, and remains committed to this.
Here’s another myth I’d like to debunk: the idea that a vote for the NDP doesn’t matter. Never let anyone tell you your vote doesn’t matter—it’s an insult to democracy. In Canada, your vote counts towards the popular vote distribution regardless of who wins your riding. This distribution determines the allocation of federal monies for the purposes of campaign financing. Your vote will count for something even if the NDP does not win your riding.
Many people still say that the NDP will not form the next government so it isn’t worth voting for them—wrong again. I’ll it the NDP will not be the next government of Canada. However, as we saw in the last minority parliament, the NDP caucus in parliament is a crucial moderating influence on the government and an agent of co-operation that allows minority governments to get results for young people and working families. The NDP, with only 19 seats, turned a $5-billion gift to Paul Martin’s corporate friends around and got it reinvested into foreign aid, post-secondary education, the environment, and other things that Canadians truly value. Think of the NDP as a sort of parliamentary conscience.
On Jan. 23, vote for change. Vote for people and the environment. Vote for Rob Hutchison and the NDP.
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