Stephen Harper marked the return of Parliament with an election-style rally for Conservative MPs and partisan supporters, a signal the campaign to win the Prime Minister’s Office in 2015 has begun in earnest.
He sold himself as a good economic steward and a stronger, more forceful player on the world stage than rival Justin Trudeau, making fun of past comments by the Liberal Leader.
Mr. Harper took the stage at the Ottawa Convention Centre for his annual address to caucus, a statement normally delivered in Parliament’s Centre Block. The Conservatives, apparently flush with cash from fundraising, rented the space to serve as this year’s venue.
The Conservative Leader is once again making his stewardship of the economy a central selling point in his re-election campaign, stressing how the Tories have presided over a strengthening job market in recent years and are poised to balance Ottawa’s books after years of deficits.
To reinforce the message the party played Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s song “Takin’ Care of Business” before and after Mr. Harper’s address.
“The result is that today, we have emerged from the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression,” Mr. Harper said.
“Even as other countries have stagnated, or worse, Canada has created nearly 1.1 million jobs – and they are overwhelmingly private sector, full-time, high-paying jobs.”
Mr. Harper promised personal tax cuts for Canadians in the months ahead.
The Tory Leader touted his foreign policy record, including his outspoken stand against Vladimir Putin and the Conservative government efforts to help fight the Islamic State militants wreaking havoc in Iraq. The Tories have dispatched jet fighters, a military vessel and soldiers to Europe and are sending about 70 special forces troops to advise
More: Harper kicks off Parliament’s return with election-style rally - The Globe and Mail
He sold himself as a good economic steward and a stronger, more forceful player on the world stage than rival Justin Trudeau, making fun of past comments by the Liberal Leader.
Mr. Harper took the stage at the Ottawa Convention Centre for his annual address to caucus, a statement normally delivered in Parliament’s Centre Block. The Conservatives, apparently flush with cash from fundraising, rented the space to serve as this year’s venue.
The Conservative Leader is once again making his stewardship of the economy a central selling point in his re-election campaign, stressing how the Tories have presided over a strengthening job market in recent years and are poised to balance Ottawa’s books after years of deficits.
To reinforce the message the party played Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s song “Takin’ Care of Business” before and after Mr. Harper’s address.
“The result is that today, we have emerged from the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression,” Mr. Harper said.
“Even as other countries have stagnated, or worse, Canada has created nearly 1.1 million jobs – and they are overwhelmingly private sector, full-time, high-paying jobs.”
Mr. Harper promised personal tax cuts for Canadians in the months ahead.
The Tory Leader touted his foreign policy record, including his outspoken stand against Vladimir Putin and the Conservative government efforts to help fight the Islamic State militants wreaking havoc in Iraq. The Tories have dispatched jet fighters, a military vessel and soldiers to Europe and are sending about 70 special forces troops to advise
More: Harper kicks off Parliament’s return with election-style rally - The Globe and Mail
