Having attended the recent all-candidates election forum in Sundre, I much preferred the messages presented by the NDP and Green — even the Liberal — candidates.
Not just because, as anyone who reads my columns knows, I am politically left of centre, but rather because they largely presented positive visions that did not attempt to scare people into voting for them.
The Mountain View-Red Deer riding’s Liberal candidate Gary Tremblay urged us to “stay the course,” as by all metrics compared with our G7 counterparts, Canada is doing rather well.
He spoke in favour of continuing investments in social programs and infrastructure rather than tax cuts for huge corporations paid for by reductions to public services.
Better than the other way around I suppose, but still lacking in bold, visionary policy action that will shake the status quo and rectify decades of growing wealth inequality combined with soaring increased costs of living that have left so many people feeling farther behind at best, and even outright abandoned at worst.
But the Green and NDP candidates — Conner Borle and Logan Garbanewski respectively — said even more must be done to help everyday Canadians before catering to major corporations and special interests.
As proposed by NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, a tax on the super wealthy with fortunes worth more than $20 million (applying to only 0.1 per cent of the country’s entire population) as well as multi-million-dollar global conglomerates -- in order to fund expanded universal healthcare, improved education, quality infrastructure, childcare, affordable housing, job training programs, and developing the next generation of renewable technologies -- will fuel the future of our economy and make Canada an international leader on the transition into the 21st century.
Meanwhile, the People’s Party of Canada’s Paul Mitchell was merely posturing about ramming through pipelines and peddling Alberta-first, anti-government, anti-immigrant and refugee fear mongering rhetoric. Gee, where have we heard this before?
And Conservative incumbent Earl Dreeshen didn’t exactly present any visionary or particularly detailed policy proposals, aside from promises to axe the carbon tax and lift the tanker ban. He was, however, sure to remind everyone several times how terrible Trudeau is.
Even Mitchell pointed out Dreeshen and the Conservative Party’s absence of details on, for example, the issue of immigration.
The Conservative vaguely defined allowing in an unspecified sensible number of migrants under due process of law, whereas the People’s Party is not shy about declaring their intention to cut by half the more than 300,000 immigrants who arrive annually in Canada. As though a number on a piece of paper will somehow magically stop people who are seeking a better life or desperately fleeing economic and ecosystem collapse, interventionist conflicts in the Middle East, and drug cartel violence in Latin America.
Recognizing some of the difficult challenges many Canadians face while also acknowledging the already good position we find ourselves in when compared to most of the world, the left-of-centre party candidates expressed optimism for a future with bright potential provided we work together to be a part of the transition to a cleaner global economy.
Yet all I heard was more of the tired “only we can save you” style politics from Mitchell and Dreeshen, which after seeing the rise of leaders like Bolsonaro, Duterte, Trump and many others around the world, should no longer even come as a surprise.
Fortunately, Canada objectively remains among the most enviable places on earth to live, and together we can continue to maintain our reputation as good international neighbours that others aspire to emulate.
- Simon Ducatel is the Sundre Round Up editor
