Cornwall ON – Dear Jack Layton. First off I want to thank you. As a newbie online newspaper you chose to give me an interview when many other Canadian Politicians snubbed moi, and for that I’ll be grateful.
It was also an opportunity to see you in a much different light and learn more about you. It earned you a lot of Brownie points.
I know this has been a tough year for you. Libby, illness, trying to find a path for you and the NDP and continue your personal tradition of gaining more seats for the NDP with each election you’ve led them.
I also can relate to working with bigger and much nastier fish swimming and swarming around you, but as I write this you are in a very unique position which I’m sure your team are mulling through minute by minute.
Kudos for you for rejecting the joke of an election campaign budget presented to the Canadian people yesterday. The Budget didn’t have a beat and couldn’t be danced to.
I know the spin right now is if you don’t budge you’ll get blamed by Seniors, but the reality is that Seniors are a lot
smarter than some give them credit for and a higher percentage of them vote than say 18-24 year olds. They’ve been through many elections; many broken promises; much false hope; good times and bad.
While I’m sure Seniors, as all Canadians, would like a little more help during this recession and in a rapidly crumbling Harper economy, there’s a bigger picture to consider and I’m sure you’re doing just that.
Mr. Harper doesn’t really want to be propped up by the Bloc, and that leaves you. I don’t believe any of the spin about Mr. Harper not wanting an election either. I think he wants it big time.
So now Mr. Layton is the time for you to seal your legacy and be the deciding vote to bring down this travesty against the Canadian Economy and Autonomy that’s been The Harper Government. You may not win the election; you may not get as many seats even, but you’ll be forever remembered for standing up to intolerance; over spending; war seeking, corruption, and scandal that’s marred our great country of Canada’s reputation, and that’s not a bad thing.
Your bite in the Globe & M ail says it all to me and I’m sure many many Canadians.
Mr. Layton said Mr. Harper “had an opportunity to address the needs of hard-working, middle-class Canadians and families and he missed that opportunity.”
Please don’t sell out Canada. Please do not further support our Minority Government.
Jamie Gilcig – Editor – The Cornwall Free News
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of the Cornwall Free News, their staff, or sponsors.)
Jack did the right thing. Let’s all hope his health isn’t further compromised by the strain of an election campaign.
Admin
I fail to see how you can accept and promote spending an additional 300 Million on an election, and then accuse the government of mis-spending monies. What have we seen 4 elections in the last 7 years? Think of the money you are promoting as waste again.
Layton does not have a hope in hell of winning and the party is facing financial instability.
Layton says he wants to eliminate tax cuts to corporations; does that include unions as well? They are the main funding behind the NDP. Or will Unions receive the new special privileges tax exemptions? Remember Saskatchewan was NDP on a provincial lever for years and not economically stable. Now the Saskatchewan party, with close ties to the Conservatives is in power, and people are working again. Industry has stability and growth
If Layton and the NDP spends all the money he claims is available for seniors the working class how will he reclaim the money. In Ontario Bob Rae instituted surcharge fees to compensate for his financial ventures. Is this the common practice of the NDP to give me money back and charge me else where?? I can see Layton handing down senior and social programs to the provinces also
The Liberals are broke and this election will only divide them further. Rest assured we will be taxed somehow via industry to earn the liberals some revenue. If by chance they do win will Iggy increase the HST in order to pay their debts while telling us it is for health care?
The Bloc well I still can’t figure why they are able to be in a federal election as they do not represent all of Canada.
On a global scale Canada has one of the most stable economies and it is all to do with Harper.
Put aside personal dislikes for who he is and your petty beliefs and see how well we have been during the recession compared to other countries.
As for tax breaks for industry, Volkswagen is building an eco friendly facility in Chattanooga. The US government doled out in the area of 500 million to build the place, It is a 1 Billion dollar facility. Canada offered 50 million.
Now they have a new manufacturing facility which will employ over 2,000 people and 9.5000 support people. It includes all supply chain parts and pieces being built in the US.
Figure it our Jamie, How fast in the ROI of 500 million when you employ 12,000 people.
I wonder hoe people feel about that in Canada??? No tax breaks and it ends up in the US……
Try and think about it, Smee. If the Canadian government hadn’t have thrown all those millions down the drain at GM and Chrysler, Volkswagen could have bought one of those facilities for a song, employed the same people, and actually have built a decent car here in Canada, one that is appropriate for today’s fuel prices.
I’m thinking and hoping that this election will be fought mostly on ethical and transparency issues. Things like cheating on election expenses, being in contempt of Parliament, etc are pretty serious things. The “Harper Government” has given the opposition parties a lot of ammunition. It’ll be an interesting ride for sure. A lot better bang for the buck than the G8/20 sleepover.
Watcher, the yanks spent billions on bail outs.
Furtz they have to be careful how they handle this. Yes these grave actions against Canada by the Harper government are damaging, but Canadians will want to hear better options than the status quo to really win votes.
You have got to be kidding me, ethical transparency??
The liberals have been stealing our tax dollars for quebec for years, the NDP has been stealing votes and supporters money with no chnace of changing anything because they will never win…
whaT would anyone of them do differently??
Well Smee, if I accepted your statement, which I don’t, I’d rather a thief with a surplus than one with out. End of story for me.
I agree Jamie. If the Libs and the NDP have smart strategists their “war rooms”, and I think they do, they will release sane policy statements at appropriate intervals during the campaign along with the Harper supplied stink-bombs. Which ever way it goes, at the least it will clear the air for a while.
who has a surplus??? i mean Jamie you make comments wiht no substance…liberals only loose when the country is about bankrupt or atleast in the way down the pooper….it takes cut backs and strong arm politics that only the Cons provide.
as for a thief with a surplus yep i can accept that, so long as they steal from you…and ask yourself…how does a government attain a surplus?
Smee, I think you’re a little confused. The Liberals have been in opposition for the last five years and haven’t been able to steal our money and send it to Quebec during this time. The NDP has never held power, so they can never be accused of stealing our money for any reason. I’m assuming, and maybe I shouldn’t, that you understand the difference between federal and provincial politics.
Furtz, a policy statement is again nothing more then a series of words telling people just what they need to hear.
If they have a policy I would hope they explain just how they intend to implement it, maintain it and fund it.
G8/G20 would have been done with either party and costs would have been the same. The summit mandates are part of what the NDP are looking for
The Conservative war chest has been filled by donations from their party faithful and they are financially comfortable. The Liberals, on the other hand, have been in opposition about five years and have not had a chance to steal our money and thats why the Liberals are broke! If Jack (NDP) votes against the government then he truly has failed Canada.
Well, let’s not forget about the election money laundering. This election gives the Conservatives to another opportunity to fatten their bank account. The problem with the liberals is they thought small. Now the Conservatives are big time crooks. Not only do they steal money but they try to subvert the government to make it look acceptable. Elections Canada should freeze all Conservative accounts and only dole out money on receiving a verifiable invoice.
I find it curious that Harper hasn’t fired and publicly smeared the head of Elections Canada, like he did to the head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Since the party system is weak, vote for an independent. Perhaps it will be magic.
Furtz
I am not confused at all, The liberals though not in power since 2006 have stolen sufficient tax dollars for quebec during their leadership. I mean why do you think they are broke??
The Liberal Party only retained power through a dysfunctional political system and a divided opposition and support from Quebec nationalists, and were unable to govern because of their fundamental contradictions.
What did the liberals actually bring to Canada???
What does any one of you think the liberals and or NDP would do different?
Layton stated in todays media, Harper has fallen into the same trap the liberals did….Would Layton be sucked into the same trap.
Smee I’m thinking transference. “only retained power through a dysfunctional political system and a divided opposition and support from Quebec nationalists, and were unable to govern because of their fundamental contradictions.” That sounds an awful like your beloved Harper Government.
I’m having trouble understanding Smee’s comments, except that he likes the Cons, and hates the rest.
Layton let Harper in; now he can show Harper the door.
The only reason harper has issues is a minority government. Use the old addege it is hard to soar like an eagle whne yo are surrounded by turkeys.
Liberals had majority many times and always over spent and taxed us for it. What did they actually spend on???
Health care? maybe if they had Harper would not have to try and clean it up now? The system began to decline uner Martin and has been spiralling ever since. You cannot rhough gas (money) on a fire buring out of control.
Old age pensions, take a look at Ruby Dhalla she is a liberal and wants to give more moeny away to people not contributing more then a few years.
Tax breaks are good for industry liberals give it to Quebec and some in Ottawa to maintian political security but nothing for the rest of Canada. Trudeau tried to steal western Oil but when the west needed help prior to the oil richess they were neglected….What was it called the National Energy Crisis or something like that
Maybe had the reds actually played well with all of Canada things would have worked out better…
Not sure, but it looks like the Reformatories are going to fall tomorrow with a non-confidence vote finding them in contempt of Parliament, not a budget vote. This will be a first in the history of Canada, and the whole Commonwealth! I understand that being in contempt of Parliament is a criminal offense, and that there is jail cell somewhere in the Parliament buildings to house those who are found guilty of this offense. There’s also the issue of cheating on election expenses (the in-and-out scam), also a criminal offense. This wasn’t just a mistake made by one Reformatory candidate. There were a bunch of them involved. Allowing a party or MP to win an election by cheating is a sure sign that our democracy is in deep trouble.
Probably Furtz, and Canadians are going to pay another 300 million to have what already exists…Shows just how intelligent people in Canada are
Smee, we wont know the results of this election until the votes are counted. As long as there’s a minority government, we are bound to have frequent elections. It’s just one of those pains in the ass that comes with living in a democracy. You’ll get over it.
We don’t need expensive election promises, we need straightforward legislation that is just.
For example; a pension like our MP’s would be wishful thinking on our part, but pension protection legislation ..surely we could have that much.
Pensions should not be touched or used as collateral or as security by a company. To do so should be a criminal offence that corporate officers must answer for personally.
And in the case of a company going under; that pension money should be retained by law and paid out to pensioners, never ever should any other creditor have a piece of it.