Really? Have you read the full Conservative Platform? (the one that isn't out yet), or the Liberal one (which is).
I'm happy to find fault w/the Liberal platform, as I did in my post on that very subject........there isn't actually a consolidated Conservative platform to critique yet........but the policy announcements thus far don't read to me as you describe.
As opposed to what? I don't think every Liberal policy was a failure by any stretch, but they certainly botched the TFW/Foreign student file; I'm happy to agree that the deficit has been too high, and that there are strategic items under invested in.... but how is the policy platform of Polievre an improvement?
The Federal daycare money has worked fine in most provinces, the problematic rules in Ontario were chosen by the Ford government. You will do well to understand how programs are delivered and by whom before incorrectly assigning blame.
That goes back to 2008, and 7 of those years were under PM Harper.
Is there a market for another pipeline? Maybe.........but the private sector isn't clamoring, and the Trans Mountain expansion cost us billions.
A provincial responsibility. Talk to Premier Ford.
Technically, also a provincial matter, and one Ford specifically torpedoed a few years ago when Quebec was interested in expanded interchange capacity. That said, that is in the Federal Liberal Platform, with some $ attached.
HSR was promised long before 2015. Its always been kicked down the road, across multiple regimes. I won't defend the Liberal track record on that; but are you suggesting the Conservatives will find the requisite tens of billions?
You realize, don't you, that you come off as terribly partisan and not having actually backed up even one of your points.
Critiquing the current and former Liberal PMs is fair game............but if you want people to consider an alternative at the ballot box, you need to show how they will actually do better.
I’m not a partisan by any means and frankly I’ve voted for Liberals more than I have voted for the Tories. The Liberals once stood for a better balance of free markets and social services. The last 6 years with the NDP showed nearly zero focus on economic growth. I am disappointed that the Tories haven’t released a formal platform but in this era of sound bites does anyone except folks like us here truly read it anyway?
For me it’s more an issue of trust and failing to deliver. I read the Carney platform and was more disappointed by it. It read just like Trudeaus platform. Lots and lots of promises but lacking any details (e.g. new industrial carbon pricing) and many will likely never see the light of day(HSR). I personally don’t think Canadians should reward a government that has failed on many files with another term and that we should punish the Liberals for their failures so they get a time out and clean house.
The main selling feature of the Tories to me is not just fresh set of hands at the wheel but also a fresh tone and focus on smaller government and less regulations and a focus on economic development. This by no means the Tories are perfect or don’t have flaws. They have plenty of them but Canadas government should not be the answer to how we build up the economy. That’s the crux of what Carney is selling.
Let’s compare a few examples and policy differences:
1)Economic policy:
On economic development, the reason the Liberals had to buy TMX is because all the red tape (C-69) scared away any private investment. The process took too long and was too expensive.
The Tories would repeal these onerous laws is the promise. The main thing I liked is the deferal of capital gains tax if companies re-invest in Canada. That’s a good thing. Again here Tories proven right with Carney abandoning the capital gains increase.
2)Climate change::
I am a pro carbon tax supporter. However, Pierre was proven right that the Carbon tax was a failure by design. The Liberals bungled it with the Maritime heating oil exception and other exceptions. While Carney was smart to zero it out it shows the Liberals stopped believing in it themselves. The policy didn’t reduce our carbon consumption because in my opinion it should have been offer not by rebates but by income tax reductions. The carbon tax to me is a consumption tax.
Tories would repeal it proper and focus to export and develop more of our energy and mineral wealth. Canada is probably the only country with massive energy that does not export it globally. Pierre’s point in the debate where he said exporting our energy to places like India would offset their use of dung or coal would be better for the environment. On principle no country on earth leaves their mineral and oil wealth underground. They use it to build up their own wealth. Why should Canada be different?
3)Housing:
The housing file is also a failure. The Liberals have failed with taxing housing and foreign investors and the various incentives have driven prices up not down. Yet Carney just stole Poiliviers signature policy to cut GST on new homes. While I agree with Carney we need more rentals, I don’t trust the Liberals to deliver here.
The Tories are much more likely to reduce regulations and allow the private sector to do the work here. I’d love to have them abolish some of the boutique programs like the FHSA or the CMHC or the other ones the Liberals have put together for their housing accelerators they have not delivered.
4)Social programs :
The Liberals only limited success was with the daycare program. Yes you are right Ford screwed it up with rules but the Feds could have forced his hand as they control the funds. Here I can give the Liberals credit that the daycare program and the revamped child care benefit was likely their only core successes policy wise. The dental is too early to tell and pharma-care is barely a program with only a few medicines covered.
The Tories here are a blank slate as they haven’t said what they would do except to keep these programs in general. They are likely to look at more private sector involvement and deregulation. Maybe they will tackle more on mental health or health care in general.
Overall to me this is less about voting for the Tories and more of its time to fire the current government for their poor performance. Yes there is a risk the new guys will mess up but the current set already have IMHO.
In any case, given where the polls are we are likely headed for a majority Liberal government unless something drastic happens in this last week.
liberal.ca
