Baron Von PWN wrote:keiths31 wrote:If you went on sound policy, the Cons would win easy. .
Gimme a break! Sound policy like buying fighter jets without engines? Scraping the long form census? withholding information from parliament (apparently so they don't find out their cost analysis' are bogus)? Mandatory sentencing? theses are not sound policies.
I don't know, man...there are things I don't like about every single government around. The question remains whether the problems are bad enough to oust the government, and if so, is the alternative any better? Our military (all areas of it) definitely needs new equipment, and it would make no sense to go backwards in time and buy more F18s. Maybe they aren't going about this purchase in the right way, but no other party is offering a better alternative. The Liberals are now saying that they would scrap the purchase (like they did with helicopters in the 90s) and reopen it to a bid, in which case the same option would probably end up being chosen, only farther down the road and for a higher price. The long-form census I don't see as very important either way. Every government is condemned for withholding information from parliament--look at Chretien's record: the difference was, he had a majority so his government couldn't be brought down over it. Obviously I'm not saying it's good or totally excusable, I'm just saying that it seems like any party in power seems to become, to a certain extent, corrupted by that power. Every party pushes for openness and integrity while in opposition, but when in power not much changes. BTW
even Jack Layton has been refusing questions from the press when he knows they'll be critical of him. As for bogus cost analysis', the NDP is already backing down on their platform budget because the numbers don't add up, and both the Conservatives and Liberals have been accused of the same, although on a much smaller scale. I agree with mandatory sentencing in principle because I do believe that there should be a mandatory minimum sentence for certain crimes, which is only fair. Whether it decreases crime in the long run, however, is questionable.
If we wait to elect a perfect government, we'll never vote. After all, politicians are people with flaws just like the rest of us. If we condemn all politicians for corruption, we condemn society as a whole, because we have elected them from our society. However I believe we should vote for whichever party we believe to be the best option for directing the country in a positive direction. In this case I believe it to be the Conservatives, which is why I voted for them already in the advance polls. BTW, I thought it was sweet 2 million Canadians already voted! Looks like the turnout will be really good for the election this year!
When we look at a list of the
Conservative government's accomplishments, there are a lot of things here which I am in favor of:
1. Accountability/Lobbying Act — Passed July 2, 2008 (Link)
2. Age of Consent Legislation – Raised from 14 to 16 effective May 1, 2008 (Link)
3. Agent Orange Compensation Package of $96 Million –$20,000 to all veterans and civilians who lived within 5 kilometers of CFB Gagetown in N.B.when Agent Orange was sprayed over a seven day period in 1966 and 1967 (Link)
4. Air India Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry – PM Harper apologies to the friends and relatives of all those who died in that disaster (Link)
5. Apology to Native People – By the Government of Canada on June 11, 2008 for residential school abuses (Link)
6. Arctic Sovereignty a Priority – One of the Harper gov’t's highest priority is the protection of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty (Link)
7. Auto Theft and Property Crime Bill – Legislation passed that would crack down on auto theft and trafficking in property that is obtained by crime (Link)
8. Child Pornography Reporting by Persons who Provide an Internet Service Act (C-22)
– by toughening laws that protect children from adult sexual predators by making it mandatory for Internet service suppliers to report such online actions (Link)
9. Child Tax Credit – $2000 for every child under eighteen (Link to all the family tax credits)
10. Chinese Head Tax Apology– By the government on June 22, 2006 (Link) (Link)
11. Chinese Immigrant Provision — Of $20,000 to every individual and/or surviving spouses who paid the head tax plus $24 million towards an “historical recognition program”(Link)
12. Columbia Free Trade Agreement – Signed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in Lima, November 21, 2008 (Link)
13. Consumer Product Safety Legislation – To strengthen Canada’s product safety laws and better protect Canadian consumers and their families (Link)
14. Corporate taxes lowered to stimulate economy – 22.2% in 2007, 16.5% in 2011 and will be 15% in 2012 (not just for large corporations but any incorporated business, including small business (Link)
15. Corrupt Regimes Act (C-61) – allows Canada to act upon the request of a foreign state to freeze the assets that their former leaders and members of their entourage, including family members, senior officials and associates, may have placed in Canadian financial institutions (Link)
16. Criminals’ Old Age Security eliminated through legislation – (Link)
17. Disability Savings Plan – Part of the 2007 budget, it was fully implemented in December, 2008 (Link)
18. Economic Recovery in Canada due to Conservative policies – OECD says that in first quarter of 2010, Canada’s economy grew by 6.2% compared to 1.9% for other G7 countries (Link) (Link)
19. European Free Trade Association – Canada Agreement – Signed on July 2, 2009 — between Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (Link)
20. Fairness at the Pumps Act (C-14) – protects Canadian consumers from inaccurate measurements when purchasing gasoline (Link)
21. Food Labelling Initiative – to clarify and modernize labelling on food products, including “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” claims (Link) (Link)
22. Gender Equity in Indian Registration – Legislation that addresses a court ruling on gender discrimination in the Indian Act (Link)
23. GIS — Guaranteed Income Supplement Improvements – For seniors, changed to allow for higher earned income – (Link)
24. GST — Goods & Services Tax Cut – From 7% to 6% and then to 5% (Link)
25. Haitian Earthquake Response – very quick (Link)
26. Haiti’s Debt to Canada Cancelled – On June 25, 2010, at the G8 meeting in Huntsville, PM Harper announced that Haiti’s debt to Canada was eliminated (Link)
27. Harper Government the longest serving minority – since Lester Pearson (Link)
28. Hep C compensation Redressed – For latest court rulings that clear the way for national $1 billion package (Link), as well as how to apply for compensation (Link)
29. Identity Theft Legislation– (Bill S-4) — Received Royal Assent on October 27, 2009 — for obtaining and possessing identity information, trafficking in that information or unlawfully possessing or trafficking in gov’t documents (Link)
30. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act Amendment (C-35) – to crack down on crooked immigration consultants who exploit prospective immigrants and undermine the integrity of Canada’s immigration system (Link)
31. Income Splitting for Canadian Seniors – A change to the Income Tax Act for pensioners (Link)
32. India-Canada Nuclear Co-Operation Agreement– PM Harper and Indian PM Manmohan Singh sign a memoranda of understanding that lays foundation for future bilateral trade negotiations (Link)
33. Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement — Signed (Link)
34. Internet Spam Protection – Signed December 15, 2010 to protect consumers and business from the most harmful and misleading forms of online threats (Link)
35. Jean-Lesage International Airport expansion – federal support provided to Quebecers for an expansion program that will both strengthen the local economy, as well as make Quebec City an international destination (Link)
36. Jordan Free Trade Agreement – Signed by Canadian and Jordanian government officials and reported on June 28, 2009 (Link)
37. Kid’s sport tax credit – up to $500 per child (Link)
38. Kuwait Foreign Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement (FIPA) — Completed in April 2009 (Link)
39. Land Claim Agreements – Over 800 claims concluded since the gov’t came into power (See progress chart at this Link and comparison to previous governments)
40. Libya No Fly Zone – Canada joins NATO coalition to protect Libyans to remove Muammar Gaddafi from power (Link)
41. Manley Report – Approved (Report) (Link)
42. Mental Health Commission of Canada – Established and incorporated as a non-profit corporation in March of 2007 (Link)
43. Northern Regional Development Economic Agency – Announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 in Iqaluit, Nunavut (Link)
44. Nunavik Inuit Land Claims – Agreement (Link)
45. Ombudsman for Victims of Crime – Established (Link)
46. Open Access to Gov’t – the expansion of an initiative to provide all Canadians with more data, information and opportunities to dialogue (Link)
47. Organized Crime Measures added to Criminal Code (Bill C-14 ) — Measures against organized crime, with 25 years for murder without eligibility for parole — passed on June 23rd, 2009, coming into effect October 2, 2009 (Link)
48. Panama-Canada Free Trade Agreement – Signed in Panama on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 & ratified on May 15, 2010 (Link)
49. Peru – Canada Free Trade Agreement – Adopted by Parliament June 18, 2009 (Link)
50. Poland — Youth Mobility Agreement – Signed on July 14, 2008 that allows youth from either country to work and travel for up to one year (Link)
51. Protecting Victims from Sexual Offenders – Signed on December 15, 2010 to protect children against sexual predators (Link)
52. Public transit tax credits (Link)
53. Quebecois as a nation – A motion to confirm Quebec within a united Canada (Link)
54. Red Tape Reduction Commission – Announced on January 13, 2011 to greatly reduce bureaucratic administration for small and medium sized businesses that have a clear and detrimental effect on growth, competitiveness and innovation (Link)
55. Savings Account that is tax free (Link)
56. Self-employ Fairness Act – (Bill C-56) — Provides special benefits to the self employed on a volunteer basis (Link)
57. Sentencing Discounts Eliminated With Multiple Murders Act (C-48) and Serious Time for the Most Serious Crime Act (S-6) – by allowing judges to impose consecutive parole ineligibility periods on individuals convicted of multiple murders, as well as puts a stop to early parole for murderers, which addresses the additional anguish suffered by victims’ families as a result of attending repeated parole hearings; (Link)
58. Softwood Lumber Agreement (Bill C-24) (Link)
59. Street racing crack down (Link)
60. Students exempted from taxation for scholarships, bursaries and fellowships (Link)
61. Tackling Violent Crime Act (Link) (Link)
62. Taxpayers Bill of Rights (Link)
63. Taxpayers Ombudsman (Link)
64. Tax Treaties with Columbia, Greece and Turkey – A law was finalized to recognize these tax treaties on December 15, 2010 (Link)
65. Truth in Sentencing Act – Bill C25 received Royal Assent on October 23, 2009 — ending the two for one credit for time served in pre-trial custody (Link)
66. Ukraine-Canada Youth Agreement – Signed that would allow youth in both countries to experience freer movement (Link)
67. Ukrainian & Eastern European immigrants – $10 million to educate Canadians about the internment in Canadian work camps during WWI (Link)
68. UN Global Fund contribution for mothers, newborns and young children – $540 million pledged by PM Harper at the UN on September 21st, 2010 – when added to the $1.5 billion already promised at the G8 summit in Muskoka and G20 in Toronto, it is the largest contribution ever made by Canada to an international health institution (Link)
69. Universal Child Care Benefit – $1,200.00 per year for every child under age six (Link)
70. White Collar Crime Act — Standing up for Victims (C-21) – will combat white-collar crime, toughening sentences and imposing mandatory minimum penalties (Link)
Sorry, I didn't feel like copying all the links. The main link to the article is above, if you want to go and check it out. It's from a right-leaning website I just found out about a few days ago.
Also, to add to the
endorsements:
1. Globe and Mail – The Globe’s election endorsement: Facing up to our challenges
2. Suburban – Harper: the right choice at the right time
3. Windsor Star – Why a Majority Matters
4. The National Post - Still right for Canada:
…The time has come to break this logjam, which is why we urge our readers to vote Conservative on May 2.
Kind of a backhanded endorsement here:
5. Waterloo Region Record – The tough choice facing Canadians:
…When we weigh all the options, we conclude that despite their abundant flaws, the Conservatives, with their experience and vision, would be best for this country.
6. Tory majority means strong jobs, economy – Mississauga.com
7. Conservatives should form majority government – Durham Region
8. EDITORIAL: Conservative majority best for Canada – Inside Toronto
9. Editorial: A Tory majority would be best for Canada – The Province
Please note that most of these papers are endorsing a Conservative MAJORITY!
10. EDITORIAL: Harper deserves a majority – Brampton Guardian
11. The Herald’s Election Endorsement: For a Stronger, More Prosperous Canada – The Prince Arthur Herald
12. ROB FORD, mayor of Toronto
13. Montreal Gazette – The Gazette’s View: Canada needs the stability of a majority government
14. Vancouver Sun – Conservative majority needed to see us through turbulent times
15. Winnipeg Free Press – Editorial: Canada needs four years of stability.
Again, there are links to every article if you go to the website.
