The editor:
I鈥檓 not sure how these so-called Conservatives can call themselves sound fiscal managers? That must be some kind of joke right? They have been talking about it and campaigning about it since they brutally destroyed the Progressive Conservative Party. Harper鈥檚 first term in office started with a huge surplus which he immediately turned into the biggest deficit in Canadian history and they haven鈥檛 run a balanced budget since. Harpers first election in 2008 was called early even after his platform ran on set election dates. That proved very opportunistic as it came just before recession hit. Any prime minister should have had knowledge of it before hand. Now with recession looming again he hides behind another snap election call.
Billions were offered in untendered contracts with Lockheed Martin to buy fighter jets then finding out that they didn鈥檛 even have engines. I don鈥檛 imagine there is one so-called Conservative MP that would buy himself a new car without at least a test drive to make sure it had a motor.
International trade deals, that are basically unscrutinized by parliament allow the PM鈥檚 corporate buddies to sue our country if they don鈥檛 maintain a certain level of profit, has seen corporate law suits against Canada blossom. The inevitable success of these law suits has cost the taxpayers billions in court costs and pay outs.
He has recklessly engaged our military in aggressive, expensive international battles while stabbing our veterans in the back and neglecting our military hard assets till we are a military laughing stock of the world.
He gives huge tax concessions and subsidies to his wealthy friends in the filthy non-renewable resource extraction industry while starving, and sabotaging renewable energy that offers clean, sustainable alternatives and massive employment for our economy.
He expropriated farmer鈥檚 money and assets in the destruction and practical give away of the Canadian Wheat Board plus chopped Parks Canada, the community pastures and closed the forestry farm.
Now after they have cleaned out the cupboards at fire sale prices and implemented very creative bookkeeping, Joe Oliver proclaims they finally have their first balanced budget. Their own parliamentary budget officer and the Bank of Canada disagrees but 鈥渨hatever鈥 it鈥檚 not like misleading the public is something the Harper Gov. might shy away from.
Greg Chatterson
Regina