My Election Issue Wish List
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.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
There is an aspect of campaign issue’s that your forgetting JJ..and that is the unwillingness of most voters to vote Conservative and how that “rearranges” the importance of issues. It should be obvious to most that 65% of Canadian voters would prefer to vote for a Left wing party, and that any gain or chance of a majority for any Conservative party means overlooking the major issue’s and concentrating on “left” issue’s. A large percentage of Canadians want a National Daycare…but have no clue that Daycare for every elegable child in Canada would run in the 10’s of billions every year…many believe the Libs can and will deliver this…I mean…how can you fight that kind of stupidity? And if you dont believe me just look at the Cons past record. Mistakes were made..of course…no govt goes unblemished. But a solid record with a few bumps, but yet, 65% still want change. If the past 3 years were under a Lib govt with Bob Rae as PM the Libs would be in 45% approval range. If Cons want a Majority govt then be prepared to fight it on the Left’s terms…its just the way it is.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:28 am
As much as I am frustrated by what billg says - he speaks the truth.
And with a media who will go out of their way to report on Tory missteps……this has become a leftwing country.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:53 am
And when Elizabeth May said “Canadians are stupid”. I believe she had a point. The drowning LIBERANO$ and the NDP know what buttons to push for votes. Guess when your honest and have integrity it doesn’t count?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I fundamentally agree with Bill’s assessment.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Majority is what is needed and majority is what we are going to get Oct 14th!
Most economists say that the credit crunch issues will be solved by end of this year and the economy will pick up from there, not fast but a steady upward trend. Energy prices will eventually lower (More so if McCain is elected as domestic resources will be tapped much faster: OPEC will reduce it’s price). 2009 will be a year of healing and reajusting.
I hope interest rates start slowly going up to about 10~12% (Mortgages) where it should be. This would balance out the greedy out of control lending to anyone that has a pulse and finally make cash investors get some decent and safer returns.
The ugly side of capitalism needs a makeover.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
As frustrating as it is AlbertaGirl…Cons HAVE to stop blaming the media…I thought the turning point of the last election is when Mr Harper in an interview refused to blame the CBC for the nonsense that they pulled…take the high road on the media.
Second…Cons have to move left a little…just a little..if they want to remain in power…Mr Harper understands this very well but is continuously attacked fromt the right when he does. The LPC has always campaigned from the Left and governed from the middle right, but they got away with it because the Lib partisans and supporters understood and put up with it, and, voters grew comfortable (like me) knowing that common sense would trump the Leftspeak from within their party. Its been a long time since I was this excited about a Conservative Leader. Mr Harper gets it. It would be nice to see ALL Con supporters understand how to win.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Very interesting, Grind a Grit. Thanks for that analysis. I sounds quite hopeful.
BTW, don’t forget that the Jeff Allan show is live on CPAC right now!
It seems that it is stacked with Liberals.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Jeff Allan show = Liberal soapbox.
[Clarification: After contacting Jeff, I found out that Conservative spokespersons declined the invitation. So it wasn't Jeff's fault.]
September 18th, 2008 at 11:13 am
“Jeff Allan show = Liberal soapbox”
Is there any media that isn’t? OK, that’s a little harsh, but still …
Yesterday, Jack Layton was doing a talk show here in Montreal; he was alone fielding calls for an hour. Most of the calls brought up NDP-friendly issues. When I told the call screener what I wanted to ask (a not so NDP-friendly issue) the screener said OK, I’ll pass it along to Jack, and cut me off.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Gabby, that is awful. They’re supposed to be careful during an election to offer equal time.
I’m really disappointed with the Jeff Allan show. He’s usually pretty fair. I wonder why not this time?
September 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
As much as Bill says 65% want socialist issues, why does the “west” have to pay for them. Looking back to at least Trudeau, the west has consistently and in great numbers voted for a right wing party. Even when Mulroney had power the west formed Reform … always in opposition???
Per the above then, how can the west (conservative in nature) be accommodated in a “socialist society”?
WCT Opinion
September 18th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Sent an email to the show
Jeff Allan = LIBERAL soapbox. Looks like the Danny Williams ABC….anything but Conservatives. Thought CPAC held fair and balanced programs. 3 hours of conservative BASHING. Yes ,I heard the comment, that it’s because this is the A team by your guest Ken Seiling …Mayor of Kitchener.How many times do we have to hear the cold cuts comments….YOU SHOULD BE FIRED!!Now he is saying” not one single guest was supplied by the CPC”…I don’t believe that. When Liberal Karen Redman was leaving after her CPC bashing fest, Jeff Allan said” We will be talking later, before the election is over for sure”. BIG BUDDIES!!!!!!
September 18th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Ontario Girl, did you hear Jeff a few minutes ago? He said that they tried to get someone from the CPC, but they refused to send anyone!
So somebody really dropped the ball here. I guess we can’t blame Jeff.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:57 am
WCT…thats what this election is going to begin to answer. Another minority and the West will be a little pissed but nothing major. A majority and Mr Harper will start to give western provinces the same powers that Quebec has had for years. If by chance, Ontario gives Mr Dion the thumbs up by reducing Mr Harper’s minority then all bets are off. I’m not sure the people of Ontario have any clue that what they do and how they vote in this election will dictate the next 20 years of Canadian politics and Western Seperation. If this was any other Liberal leader then Mr Dion I’d say that if they ever gained power the first promise to be broken would be the Green Shift…that little nugget would be the last straw for Alberta…but…Mr Dion has proven that cutting 0.000032% of the worlds GHG is more important to him then….well….anything.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
When Liberal Karen Redman was leaving after her CPC bashing fest, Jeff Allan said” We will be talking later, before the election is over for sure”. BIG BUDDIES!!!!!!
Ontario Girl, I think that was just Jeff schmoozing.
He also was kidding earlier that he and Lizzie May were having an affair.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I think one very obvious clue as to why Canadians appear stupid is that many, I’d say those under 50 years of age, were weaned on a pablum of the social engineering that passes for curriculum in our public schools. We’ve successfully churned out graduates force fed messages that are very social and, yes Liberal in leanings. Pull out any curriculum document in from any province and you’ll be treated to value statements about upholding democracy, being grateful to the social safety net that only government can provide, climate change, character education, all in an effort to do what exactly?
During most elections Grade 10 Civics classes can, if they wish have the candidates in and run a Student’s Vote program. Often, depending on the leanings of the principal and teaching staff, these events are pro-left, and not as unbiased as they’re supposed to be.
Unfortunately, the aim of the school systems of this country purport to raise critical thinkers, except that students are only getting one-side of the political spectrum.
It all starts there. We now have teachers who’ve graduated and are teaching generation after generation in exactly the same way - be grateful for the social resources, because government rules and government knows best.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I agree with Bill on this. There is a real under current flowing in this election. I’m not looking for any “western favours” from the Conservatives, just honest, realistic, sensible government for all Canadians. I’m in favour of a “hand up not a hand out”, of helping to give opportunities not cash, to create a climate of security for person and property, of individual choice to let ME manage my money and family life - not the State.
I help my neighbour, by volunteering my time and donations to the United Way (as an example), by being eoc-friendly in all the recycling efforts and lowering my “carbon footprint”. I just want my Government to respect my individuality and person. I don’t want to be ripped-off by “national programs” that mostly go to keeping bureaucrats busy.
WCT Again
September 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
For the majority of Canadians, it seems to be “Show me the money”, never minding the fact that “the money” is being siphoned out of their pockets to finance these huge schemes. Voters are very uninformed and yes, a lot of them are stupid.
Dion has lost it; how many tens of billions is he at by now? Sheeeeesh. Lord help us all.
BTW, that was some video on that West Van NDP candidate last night on the National, wasn’t it?
September 18th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Ontario Girl, I think that was just Jeff schmoozing.
I doubt it…he was schmoozing with all the LIEBERANO$. I am a good judge of character and his red face was telling the story of where he was coming from, in my opinion. I can tell which people are LIEberals with one sentence out of their mouths…I watch all the talk shows with their LIEbral EXPERTS. That show had my Blood Pressure going through the roof. At least the last caller had it right about SURPLUS’S….put them in their place. Thank god for some people with some brains.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Thursday Sept. 18, 2008
Roots or Shoots!
The following are my thoughts after reading the Our Daily Bread booklet put out by RBC ministries of Grand Rapid, Michigan, on the above topic of “Roots or Shoots”, as I think that they relate to the up-coming American and Canadian elections.
This is a mighty topic. When I picked up my copy of Our Daily Bread which my wonderful, thoughtful daughter sent me, the Sept. 5, reading really spoke to me as this just caught my eye even though yesterday was the 17th but I could see how the fall elections tied in with it all.
Text: If a tree puts on lot of top growth and few roots, it is liable to be weak-wooded and short lived.
If a tree puts down a great deal of roots and ads shoots more slowly, however it is liable to be long-lived and more resistant to stress and strain (and those who come through adversity, is my additional thought)
Now as I see it McCain came through 5 years of adversity being tortured daily in a Vietnamese prison cell.
Text: People and Organizations can be like trees. The rise to prominence is exhilarating, but anything that puts up shoots faster than it puts down roots is fragile and in danger of breaking, falling or dying.
And to my mind I see a lot of shoots of glamour in Obama’s oratory but has he been really tested by adversity like 5 years of being tortured in a Vietnamese prison cell would do?
You can be glib about the things of God such as liberation theology can, by making Jesus a community organizer instead of the Son of God who deliberately came to do away with our sins on the cross and was not the rebel rabble rouser crusader but was the meek Lamb of God slain for our sin debt.
You can claim to not know when life begins, but if you have the life of Jesus living inside of you, you will know beyond any doubt that life truly does begin at conception and you will have the courage to voice that belief loud and clear like McCain did at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church recently but Obama just didn’t know. Shoots instead of roots can be clearly seen for the entire world to see in the flash of Hollywood stars that come out and cheer and clap for Obama and pour enormous amounts of money into his campaign, and you can also see the secular left and environmentalists solidly behind Obama, willing to pay any cost to elect their guy with shoots flying high. But no solid roots into the original word of God do I see.
Or you can put your roots deeply down into scripture and stand firmly in that.
Text: Jesus used a similar analogy in his parable of the sower. People who hear the word and receive it joyfully are like the seed sown on STONY places; they spring up quickly but endure only for a short time because they have no roots. (
Parable of the sower Matt. 13:5
Roots aren’t at all glamorous, but they are the source of our strength. If our roots go deep into the knowledge of God (Jer.9:24) and our lives are hidden in Christ (Col: 3:3), we’ll be strong, resistant to blight, and more likely to survive the storms of adversity. How deep are your roots?
And I would like to ask how deep are the roots of each of the candidates in the up coming American and Canadian elections? Who has been tested by adversity? Who will be able to stand against a fierce on-coming determined enemy in radical Islam that has promised to annihilate everyone that stands in their way and has already has brought down the Twin Towers in New York to prove it?
So if you put your roots deeply down into scripture you will endure because God’s word to us is there. If you use something like liberation theology that speaks of Jesus being a rebel rabble rouser community organizer, you have an entirely different concept of what the truth really is.
God came to earth in Jesus Christ and did the unthinkable. He himself paid the price for our sin debt in full and all who come to him who hear and respond to his call will come to him in humility because they realize that they can’t make their lives work without his saving grace but the ones who think that they can make their lives a success for awhile, but when the storms of life come what will happen to the person who has not put their roots down deeply in the word and life of God in Jesus?
Then when the end of their life enters upon the stage the people who have only put up shoots of glamour and show in this life have no roots put down into the word of God for the eternal life to come.
Text: Lord, keep me from being envious of the beautiful and the seemingly powerful. May I use your resources to put down roots that will make me strong rather than branches that make me attractive? Amen.
The roots of stability come from being grounded in God’s Word and prayer.
My concluding thoughts is seek the Lord while he may be found as a coming darkness is coming should the shoots win the American election. And here in Canada we have the Canadian election coming up with the same kind of thing is happening. Will we again elect a proven and good Prime Minister with deep roots of stability or the shallow shoots of the others?
Only you who have who have the answer to that but I hope and pray that God’s life in you will save the day.
So I end the whole thing by saying:
ROOTS OR SHOOTS WHO WILL WIN THE DAY?
September 18th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I’ve read the originaly post by Joanne — so impressed by the clear priorities listed for citizens participating in this election.
Also yesterday’s entry re where’s the money coming from and referring to the accumulated exhorbitant platform promises now rolling out in the MSM. I think Canadians on average get it that successive Liberal gov’ts have never delivered on their various promises. Then ADSCAM alerted the country as to how monies were pilfered from the public purse. Not insignificant amounts either — and offshore banks accounts involved in the process.
The accumulating gaffes on the campaign trail, will be put in persective, in light of the former Liberal record of CORRUPTION. (Hardly uncovered in toto as yet).
I think Joanne’s article SHOULD BE PICKED UP ONCE AGAIN BY ORMISTON (CBC) in the interests of widest circulation. Prime Minister Harper yesterday said to the effect, every vote should be probed, counts NOW. If bloggers could transmit to their MPs the HARPER GOV’T ACCOMPLISHMENTS RECORD SITE, leaflet copies could be left at door stops with citizens who can read and update on the issues that will affect our viability as a nation.
Forty three pieces of legislation/initiatives were passed with the approval of the opposition. Hence the record is there of bi-partisan decision making as the opposition failed every time to bring the gov’t down, although continually threatening to do so.
Right now, the “weak” (the Left) are out to bring the “rooted” (as Mary rightly says) DOWN. They won’t succeed. Because skams never do make out long term. There are many Liberals that vote by habit, but I maintain not if they really knew the score.
Voters just have to be reminded by Conservatives everywhere the Liberal/NDP will not keep their campaign promises ever and that includes for the foreseeable remainder of our history on the planet.
I hope, Joanne, your pieces are picked up by Ormistan for wider readership. I’m confident the “SCAMS” will be dissembled in the upcoming debates and that the MPs will get the info out on the campaign trail.
Can’t you copy this thread to every campaigner on the trail, today? Along with Harper Accomplishments Record Website. That’s where the power of the internet can serve, now, today.
A lot of info can still be rushed to the people within the next three weeks remaining.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Just read the turner report and garths version of the end of times.The empty suit basically states that only the libs can prevent the new dirty 30’s.The solution is more raeconomics,you know tax and spend our way to prosperity.Bet he is still holds the Nortel stocks that he once flouted as the road to riches.Scary that he was once a finance minister,but worse than that in that he still fancies himself as a financial wizard who now has dions ear.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I’ve read the originaly post by Joanne — so impressed by the clear priorities listed for citizens participating in this election.
Thanks very much, Anna. Please feel free to suggest additions to the list if any come to mind.
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:22 am
[...] really hope that the various political parties will soon start addressing some of the issues on my election wish list, and get away from the pathetic display of [...]
September 30th, 2008 at 8:59 am
[...] Tactical suggestions for the Tories Saskatoon journalist Wayne Eyre has some suggestions for Stephen Harper in today’s National Post. Some of his ideas are similar to those found on my Election Issue Wish List. [...]