While I'm interested in at least listening to what all the parties have to say, I tend to agree with MG34 inasmuch as it doesn't matter what they promise, they will not get my vote. After what we have seen with the Gomery report, I don't know how anyone could vote for them. The last election was won with money stolen from the Canadian people. The sponsorship program was supposed to fight separatism, but instead it succeeded in alienating Quebecers with the insulting notion that they can be bought. People call Mulroney corrupt, but when his ministers were involved in scandal, they were forced to resign. The Liberals, on the other hand, close ranks and attack the messenger instead of addressing the message.
People say Paul Martin brought us a prosperous economy. The reality is that the Liberals benefited from the economic groundwork laid by the Mulroney government. Free trade, while having a negative impact in some market sectors, has been a net benefit to the Canadian economy. And then there is the GST. Chretien promised to scrap the GST, and we still have it. The fact is that without the GST Martin would have never balanced a single budget. Speaking of balanced budgets, the Liberals tend to go on about not running a deficit (thanks to the GST), they never talk about the national debt that Trudeau gave us.
People call Stephen Harper scary. But I've never heard anyone give a single concrete example of how his policies are something to worry about, just that he's generally scary. I'm starting to think that people with this viewpoint are just reading newspaper headlines and not much more. People say his religious convictions will influence the government agenda. Stephen Harper isn't Stockwell Day, and I think people are just making an assumption about him. On the gay marriage issue, he said yesterday that he would revisit the issue by conducting a vote to see if the house wants to revisit the issue, and if the vote is yes then they would have a completely free vote on the issue. How is that scary?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely happy with the Conservative party. I think Stephen Harper does a terrible job of communicating the message. I think his staff must be bumbling idiots who can't find their collective arse with both hands for all the times they've dropped the ball. And historically I have always been a Liberal supporter. I just can't accept the complete lack of integrity that has infected the Liberal party.
With regards to who which party would be better for the military it's a simple issue. In the past 37 years we have had Conservative government for 8 years, 9 moths. The rest has been under the Liberals. While the Conservatives did make cuts to the military under the 'peace dividend' they did makes some major investments. For example the CF-18s& the Cormorant SAR helicopters - the program the Liberals cancelled and paid $500 million penalty, and we still don't have a Sea King replacement).
What have the Liberals given us? As mentioned they still haven't found a replacement for the Sea King, the CF-18s are outdated and will need to be replaced, we are rapidly losing our tactical airlift capability. Oh yeah, they also disbanded the Airborne regiment. They have slashed and cut everywhere in the military. The former Governor General took one of our airplanes for her personal use and our guys got stuck longer in Afghanistan. The next Governor General appointed is a separatist.
I really don't get why people would support them. I mean, if what has happend so far hasn't caused people to withdraw their support, what would it take? A similar kickback scandal in Saskatchewan a few years ago wiped out the NDP party in that province, so why isn't the same thing happening to the Liberals?
That being said, whoever you support make sure you get out to vote. I hate when people say they couldn't be bothered to vote. The way I see it, voting is not only a right but a responsibility. We live in a democracy paid for in blood by those who came before us, and when it comes right down to it, it's the reason we wear the un iform, right?
As far as the Defence Critic goes, I don't think he's an idiot. He's not an experienced politician, and I don't agree with everything he says, but that doesn't make him an idiot. Keep in mind that part of his job as the Defence Critic is to be critical of government policy. Perhaps sometmes he could pick his targets better, but as a member of parliament he is excellent (I live in his riding). I've had the opportunity to chat with him in person a few times; I think he is genuinely concerned about the welfare of the CF, and I think he would do well by us. I will be volunteering on his campaign team this time around. I think he would be a much better defence minister than Bill Graham, but I wish General Mackenie would run again; I think he would make an outstanding Minister of Defence.
