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Canada not faring so badly

Over the past several weeks, I have read many NDP attacks against the economic policies of our current Conservative government (tax cuts, etc.).

Over the past several weeks, I have read many NDP attacks against the economic policies of our current Conservative government (tax cuts, etc.).

If Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s economics are so damning to Canada, then how is it possible that the American perspective is one of envy, rather than pity? It has become rather apparent that Conservative policies over the last five years have created an amazing result on the world stage.

In an article in the Washington Times on Jan. 4, James A Bacon writes, “Canada is quietly surpassing the U.S. as the land of opportunity.”

He praises Canada, in the article and suggests, “Our well-mannered Canadian neighbors have pulled their act together and we could learn a lot from them.”

He goes on to discuss “What’s not happening in Canada,” in light of the global economic crisis, drawing attention to the fact that we face no real estate crisis, no banking crisis, no unemployment crisis, and no sovereign debt crisis.

He further points out that, “Among the G-7, Canada’s economic activity has come the closest to returning to the pre-recession peak and Canada has recovered three-quarters of all jobs lost. The IMF estimates Canada will be the only G-7 country to balance its budget by 2015.”

Mr. Bacon praises our 15 per cent planned tax rate for corporations and compares it to the current U.S. corporate tax rate of 35 per cent. The new rate will give Canada the lowest corporate tax rate among the G-7 and an “eye-popping advantage over the U.S.”

He draws attention to recent efforts to reign in government spending and he praises our housing policies and banking regulations intimating that our stringent home owner- ship policies did not at all diminish home-ownership rates.

Mr. Bacon finishes by saying, “Talented Canadians have long regarded the U.S. as the land of opportunity, but it may not be long before Americans see our northern neighbor as the land of the future.”

Overall, Mr. Bacon’s article makes me wonder if the NDP “doth protest too much.”

Stephen Hill, Conservative candidate

BC Southern Interior