Blue Like You

Archive for September 18th, 2008

A while ago I started compiling a list of issues that were of special interest to me, and hopefully to many other Canadians. I’ve already alluded to a few of these issues in previous posts, but now there are a few topics that are really starting to line up as the main concerns in this election.

Without a doubt the main issue that seems to be gaining traction is that of the economy.

When you think about it, most of the other issues seem to flow from that. How can we improve our health care system without money?  How can we get tough on crime and improve public safety without cash? Taxes from corporations and workers provide that funding, but if we don’t encourage investment in this country, how are we going to meet all those other objectives?

I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the picture.

Canada, like every other country in the world, is affected by the situation in the States. Just how much remains to be seen, but we will certainly feel some of the aftershocks.

So the question boils down to leadership and sound economic policy to steer us through the storm. Who do you trust to be at the helm?

My secondary Election issue list focuses on the following areas (not necessarily in any order):

- Health care improvements on wait times and timely access to family doctors and specialists.

- Food/consumer safety

- Crime/Public safety

- Native issues (including Caledonia, Brantford, etc.) and the two-tier justice system that appears to exist in Ontario (admittedly more of a provincial issue.)

- Immigration - a streamlining of the process so that the system matches immigrants with jobs (a process that the Tories have already started.)

- Arctic Sovereignty (See Stephen Taylor)

- Environment in terms of concerns about air pollution

- Should we continue to publicly fund the CBC?

- Should we abolish the Human Rights Commissions in Canada (or at least reign them in a bit)?

This list may end up being a work in progress and any readers are welcome to add their thoughts and suggestions.

There are other sensitive topics out there for sure, but I don’t know if an election is the time to bring them up. An issue like whether or not we need an abortion law, for example, is best delivered by concerned citizens to MPs on the left, because those are the ones most opposed to the idea. So public pressure on them is the only way to effect change, IMHO.

I’ll leave you with Stephen Harper’s vision for Canada from a recent Don Martin column:

Mr. Harper’s vision: While he says the Canadian economy is defiantly stronger than the United States, he argues for the re-election of a steady experienced hand for possible trouble ahead. His Quebec record has reduced sovereignty angst, his budgets have lowered taxes, crime has been tackled and regulations in place to start greenhouse gas reduction plans. He will guard sovereignty to the north and keep a secure border open to the south.