Yet another Stephen Harper commitment has gone the way of the Stanley Cup in Toronto.
Sorry to pick on the big smoke's hockey fans, but they can likely identify with Stephen Harper's supporters. Loyal Tories want to believe their leader's promises, every bit as much as die hard blue and white puck heads want to see Lord Stanley's mug make another trek down Bay Street. And while the possibility for both always exists, realists know that chances are slim....at least in the foreseeable future.
During the 2006 election Harper promised Canadians in the strongest possible terms that his government would never, "NEVER" tax income trusts. It would be a crime and an assault on the retirement plans of seniors we were told. Yadda, yadda yadda....thanks for the votes. We all know what those strong words were worth.
Then came the promise of fixed election dates, with legislation to back it up. But our Prime Minister wasn't serious about that either. The law had about as much backbone as Harper's caucus, and so we were back to the polls yet again in October of 2008 so 'Wonder Boy' could try again to get his majority.
And let's not forget the senate, long a lightening rod of dissatisfaction with many western voters. Harper had pledged to leave empty seats vacant until the chamber could be reformed. Steve stuck to his guns for a couple of years, then caved faster than Mike Duffy on a hunger strike. Not only did the PM stack the senate, he broke the record for most appointments in a single day.
Which brings us to recent news. We all know that Conservative pledges about keeping Canada out of deficit are long gone. The PM did talk a good game for a while, but with the global economy tanking, Canada had as much chance of keeping the books balanced as Jim Flaherty has of completing a tomahawk dunk on the basketball court.
Okay, there's going to be a deficit...we've had them before. How big and for how long? Those are the questions being asked right now. For a while Harper and company did a good job of keeping a straight face while spinning the numbers. $35 or so billion this year, then slowly dropping until we're back in surplus in another 5 years.
Hands up everyone who believed those assurances? Put your hand down Flaherty, I can barely see it anyway. No Ms. Raitt, this isn't about a new "sexy" cabinet posting for you...please sit back down.
The news just keeps getting worse if you're concerned about seeing your tax dollars going to debt repayment instead of actual services. The figure this year has been revised up to $50 billion, and Harper and company have given up trying to fudge the numbers. Instead of returning to surplus in another 5 years we're looking at 10 years or longer of continued deficit spending.
Its all over the news:
Sorry to pick on the big smoke's hockey fans, but they can likely identify with Stephen Harper's supporters. Loyal Tories want to believe their leader's promises, every bit as much as die hard blue and white puck heads want to see Lord Stanley's mug make another trek down Bay Street. And while the possibility for both always exists, realists know that chances are slim....at least in the foreseeable future.
During the 2006 election Harper promised Canadians in the strongest possible terms that his government would never, "NEVER" tax income trusts. It would be a crime and an assault on the retirement plans of seniors we were told. Yadda, yadda yadda....thanks for the votes. We all know what those strong words were worth.
Then came the promise of fixed election dates, with legislation to back it up. But our Prime Minister wasn't serious about that either. The law had about as much backbone as Harper's caucus, and so we were back to the polls yet again in October of 2008 so 'Wonder Boy' could try again to get his majority.
And let's not forget the senate, long a lightening rod of dissatisfaction with many western voters. Harper had pledged to leave empty seats vacant until the chamber could be reformed. Steve stuck to his guns for a couple of years, then caved faster than Mike Duffy on a hunger strike. Not only did the PM stack the senate, he broke the record for most appointments in a single day.
Which brings us to recent news. We all know that Conservative pledges about keeping Canada out of deficit are long gone. The PM did talk a good game for a while, but with the global economy tanking, Canada had as much chance of keeping the books balanced as Jim Flaherty has of completing a tomahawk dunk on the basketball court.
Okay, there's going to be a deficit...we've had them before. How big and for how long? Those are the questions being asked right now. For a while Harper and company did a good job of keeping a straight face while spinning the numbers. $35 or so billion this year, then slowly dropping until we're back in surplus in another 5 years.
Hands up everyone who believed those assurances? Put your hand down Flaherty, I can barely see it anyway. No Ms. Raitt, this isn't about a new "sexy" cabinet posting for you...please sit back down.
The news just keeps getting worse if you're concerned about seeing your tax dollars going to debt repayment instead of actual services. The figure this year has been revised up to $50 billion, and Harper and company have given up trying to fudge the numbers. Instead of returning to surplus in another 5 years we're looking at 10 years or longer of continued deficit spending.
Its all over the news:
- Financial Post: Deficit plan 'leaves much to be explained': Orr
- CBC News: Deficits could remain until 2019-20: economist
- Bloomberg: Harper’s Plan Would Give Canada a Decade of Deficits, Orr Say
And that's just a sampling of what's out there today.
So its back to the Trudeau/Mulroney years, watching more and more of our tax dollars going down a black hole. Instead of bolstering health care, improving our military, building infrastructure or helping out vunerable citizens....we're going to be seeing more and more of our money being used for interest payments. Lovely!!!
Harper has laid out his vision...just read the news. He won't raise taxes, or cut services...no he'll just keep hoping the spending limit on the nation's Visa card gets lifted higher and higher. Great plan.
Harper is trying to get re-elected in the next election, the Leafs are hopeful of sneaking into the playoffs. Canada deserves sound fiscal management, the same way long suffering Leaf fans deserve a contender. The Leafs finally got wise and turfed a lousy GM after too many screw ups, its time for Canadians to do the same with this PM before he does even more damage.
Thanks to you Canadian Soapbox is now listed in the Top 10 at Canadian Blogosphere. To help this blog climb even higher click on their icon below, then hit the green button to vote - limit 1 vote per day per IP - thank you.
So its back to the Trudeau/Mulroney years, watching more and more of our tax dollars going down a black hole. Instead of bolstering health care, improving our military, building infrastructure or helping out vunerable citizens....we're going to be seeing more and more of our money being used for interest payments. Lovely!!!
Harper has laid out his vision...just read the news. He won't raise taxes, or cut services...no he'll just keep hoping the spending limit on the nation's Visa card gets lifted higher and higher. Great plan.
Harper is trying to get re-elected in the next election, the Leafs are hopeful of sneaking into the playoffs. Canada deserves sound fiscal management, the same way long suffering Leaf fans deserve a contender. The Leafs finally got wise and turfed a lousy GM after too many screw ups, its time for Canadians to do the same with this PM before he does even more damage.
Thanks to you Canadian Soapbox is now listed in the Top 10 at Canadian Blogosphere. To help this blog climb even higher click on their icon below, then hit the green button to vote - limit 1 vote per day per IP - thank you.
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