Conservatives'
economic record leaves Canada vulnerable
Opinion
-Editorial by the Honourable John McCallum, Liberal Member of Parliament
for Markham-Unionville
Canada
is facing significant challenges in this period of international economic
turmoil. Navigating these
troubled waters will require creative solutions from political leaders who
have the courage to implement them. Unfortunately,
Stephen Harper is playing the same old song by suggesting that the
fundamentals of our economy are strong.
It
will be difficult for Mr. Harper’s cabinet ministers to establish
themselves as competent economic managers unless they correct the fiscal
irresponsibility that has brought the government to the brink of deficit
in the first place.
The
truth is that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and the Conservatives have led
Canada to its worst economic performance since 1991 – since Brian
Mulroney. They took a $12-billion surplus left by the previous Liberal
government and squandered it in just two years – making them the
highest-spending government in Canada’s history.
This
year they will spend roughly $33 billion more than the Liberals did in
2005. As a direct result, Mr. Harper has become the first Prime Minister
in more than a decade to talk seriously about deficit financing.
By
spending the cupboard bare when economic times were good, they left
nothing in reserve now that our economy needs significant strategic
investment. And unless this
government takes swift action, economists, CEOs, manufacturers and sector
leaders agree – things will get worse before they get better.
Unfortunately,
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has rewarded Mr. Flaherty with a
reappointment as Minister of Finance. In doing so, Mr. Harper has signaled
that he has not accepted any responsibility for putting Canada’s economy
in such a vulnerable position.
Canadians
want a Finance Minister who will outline a clear plan to help them protect
their savings, their pensions and jobs. Mr. Flaherty's record proves he is
not the man that should be managing Canada’s finances in a time of
economic crisis.
This
is the same Finance Minister who called Ontario the “last place to
invest”; who called city mayors “whiners” for sticking up for their
constituents; who said the Conservative government was not in the
“pothole business” when asked to address the infrastructure deficit
facing municipalities.
This
is the same Finance Minister who told Ontario auto workers who lost their
jobs that he wouldn’t help them because he does not pick “winners and
losers” and who made investments in the auto sector only after it was
too late and on the eve of an election call.
Contrast
this with our neighbour to the south where president-elect Barack Obama
speaks frequently about his support for the U.S. auto industry.
In September, the U.S. Congress approved a package to help their
ailing auto sector and Mr. Obama has indicated he is open to the
possibility of doubling that amount.
In
Canada, we can no longer afford to sit idly by and watch as our competitor
countries do everything in their power to protect jobs at home.
The Conservatives’ hands-off approach is not how to run a
country. It is not how to manage an economy. And it is not how to respond
to a crisis.
As
the Official Opposition, the Liberal Party will continue to push the
Conservative government to realign its priorities with those of Canadians.
The
five-point Liberal economic action plan which Mr. Harper described as
‘panic’ during the election campaign is now the bulk of the
Conservatives’ economic plan. As well, the Liberal plan to accelerate
money for infrastructure, which the Conservatives have been sitting on for
nearly two years, is finally being taken seriously by the government.
Liberals
have fought hard for Canadian workers and their jobs, and to keep the
economy strong. We have a
solid history of job creation, balanced budgets and progressive tax cuts
– and of sweeping up Conservatives messes. We wiped out the $42-billion
Mulroney deficit, and we will continue to hold this government to account
to ensure that we are not left in such bad shape ever again.
