Re: Mackay's farewell reveals sorry state, Our View (June 3)
It is disingenuous in the extreme to use the comments of one of the most virulent anti-Harper media types, in Canada, Andrew Coyne, to degenerate the career of a departing Conservative politician, Peter Mackay. Surely the editorial could have had some political balance. Perhaps they might have mentioned the recently retired NDP politician, Libby Davies, who has never held a private sector job in her life, or perhaps all of those million-dollar retired Liberals like Jean Chrétien, living the good life at the behest of the Canadian taxpayer.
Mackay, conveniently forgotten by the writer, just happened to be the Defence Minister during the Afghanistan conflict, brought on by the way, by the Chrétien Liberals, and which turned into the longest war Canadians have ever been involved in. And the outstanding state of equipment in the CF these days, on the ground, in the air and at sea, is the result primarily of Mackay's superb efforts. To suggest he was "a blip on the political screen’' is quite simply, an outrageous comment not worthy of a further statement.
History will prove that Harper is the most competent Prime Minister this country will ever see. He weathered Canada through the financial turbulence commencing in 2008 and balanced budgets are now state of the art. His major efforts on the relentless side, are to ensure that all Canadians have a secure financial future and Canada, in the face of a real terrorist threat, will be safe and secure today, and into the future. Pension splitting, income splitting and low tax rates for all does not seem to me to come under the heading “ deviations on environmental and social policies" to me.
The new NDP government in Alberta has been in office over a few coffee breaks, however the editor comments that “ change is in the wind”. Give us a break! I believe every NDP provincial government in Canada, including here in B.C., has been turfed from office as a result of incompetence and Alberta will be no different, and you can put that comment in the bank. Alberta is heading for a financial meltdown, and even now is facing billions of dollars of increased debt and deficit, and not having even presented a provincial budget, is providing increased salaries and benefits to their public service workers. And a $15 minimum wage? Other close provinces will say thanks.
Mulcair, true to NDP form, runs around the country making commitments with no budget projections or financial accountability. His preposterous promise to restore home delivery of mail, in the face of the head of Canada Post stating that without change, by 2020, Canada Post would see a deficit of a billion dollars, seems to mean nothing to Mulcair.
The new Trudeau on the block is reluctant to call honour killings barbaric. He suggests the budget will balance itself and believes we should follow the lead of that great democracy, China. When you are brought up with a silver spoon in your mouth, one should expect no different. And now we have these two “shoot from the hip” politicians promising to enact each and every one of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, even the item suggesting increasing the budget of the CBC, without a single second of review. Have Mulcair or Trudeau even considered the total cost or efficacy of their reckless promise? Obviously not.
And the leader of the Greens, Elizabeth May, is still spouting her political rhetoric that the Greens will change Ottawa. This in spite of her outrageously obscene comments in Ottawa to the National Press Gallery a short while ago, where amongst other outlandish comments, she suggests a convicted war criminal has more class than the PM. Some leader – some change.
If I were a member of the Forces, or in a position depending on the CF for their livelihood in the GVA and across Canada, the clear dangers presented by a government led by Mulcair or Trudeau would be severe, of that there is no doubt. Neither leader supports our war effort against the diabolical ISIS in Iraq and Syria, they have not been forthcoming in defending the Ukraine against Putin and would not stand up to support the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel. And Mulcair would have us out of NATO and NORAD in a heartbeat.
Canada is the greatest country in the world and I would suggest most Canadians would agree; and are quite content with the way the country is currently functioning. And the loss of a few outstanding cabinet ministers such as Baird and MacKay will have no effect at all. Competence in the Conservative ranks abound.
H.J RiceSaanich