To the editor:
Some years ago Stephen Harper is reputed to have said that when he had finished with Canada we would not recognize it. He is well on his way to achieving his goal unless Canadians decide at the polls that we have had enough of his dictatorial, reactionary style, and divisive social policies.
Using tax payer dollars he has repeatedly challenged the Supreme Court on multiple social issues and has consistently been shot down. Yet he continues to feel that it his his duty to reshape Canada.
His main economic message is that we "stay the course."
An absolute priority in economic policy is to diversify strategy. His tunnel vision, focused on oil, has meant that with the collapse of the oil market comes the inevitable loss of countless jobs and billions of dollars to the economy. Yet he insists we are doing well and encourages us to stay the course. Seven consecutive budget deficits and the sole G7 nation to have a recession this year is not an encouraging record to "stay the course."
It gets worse. After nine long years, Canada has the distinct honour of the lowest job creation numbers since World War II and least economic growth since the 1960s,
According to the Economist, arguably the world's leading and most trusted finance magazine, within the G7 countries Canada has the lowest productivity level, the highest increase in consumer prices and third highest unemployment rate.
So much for staying the course.
Harper's reaction to, and subsequent heel dragging on the Syrian refugee crisis has shamed Canada. His stance on global warming has shamed Canada. His muzzling of our scientists has shamed Canada. (The prestigious international journal Nature recently published two damning editorials on this issue.) His mean-spirited and extreme right wing philosophy on ethnic and religious diversity shames Canada.
We desperately need a prime minister whose primary goal is not to shape Canada to his own extreme right wing ideas but who will listen to and take advice from experts and the electorate, someone with a clear social conscience, unencumbered by his own prejudices and dogma. Harper meets none of these criteria
Help Canada become a more just and tolerant country. Help it regain its international standing.
Help get rid of our current govt. Make your voice heard. Get out and vote!
Andrew Farquhar, Kelowna