I stand in amazement at the grim determination of Stephen Harper and his advisers to do or say anything to get elected. Subtle and not so subtle misinformation is what they practice.
It is not the kind of politics I understand.
In the case of the New Democratic Party, the party I support, a suggestion to increase retirement funds through the use of Canada’s successful Canada Pension Plan (CPP) becomes, in Harper’s language, “a job killing payroll tax”.
The NDP’s policy of continuation of the income splitting for Seniors but removing it from wealthy Canadian families becomes, in Stephen Harper’s words, “Mulcair voted No for income splitting”. And somehow the New Democratic Party policy of not bringing back the long gun registry becomes the very opposite in Stephen Harper’s and his candidate’s language.
I feel quite certain that you supporters of the Liberal party are also frustrated by the skewing of facts of your party’s platform that Harper and his advisers practice.
Stephen Harper is not seeking to engage in a nuanced discussion with the Canadian people or the other political parties.
He is not seeking the way to build a unified Canada. He wants only to win, and at any cost.
But these things are clear to a majority of the Canadian people which is why, before anything else, so many are putting the change of government at the top of their agenda. That is why, where a Harper candidate can be defeated by one of the opposition parties voters must make their vote for change count.
Change in this election means thinking in the long range and acting decisively on October 19.
Jim BeattiePenticton