Just the top Ten Reasons not to Vote Conservative

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
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Top ten reasons not to vote Conservative

[June 2, 2004 11:40 AM]
Because the Conservatives want to slash public services

The Conservative Party is the old Reform-Alliance in disguise. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives believe the role of government is to deliver “services that cannot be offered in a more efficient and effective way by the private sector.”1

Conservatives start from the view that services should be offered by corporations and believe that only when the private sector fails should government step in. The Conservatives would impose a law banning federal deficits, removing one of the key tools governments have to respond when markets fail or the economy slows down. In the past, Harper counseled a strategy of “calculated ambiguity” so that voters couldn’t really tell what the Reform party stood for.2 Now, like then, the Reform/Conservatives are being cagey about their plans to slash public services and axe social spending. 3
Because the Conservatives support private health care

Conservative leader Stephen Harper congratulated the Liberals on the 2003 Health Accord because it contains “no restrictions on private health care delivery within the public system.” Harper sees no problem with provinces using the for-profit sector to deliver CAT scans, MRIs and elective surgery.

Harper’s support for private for-profit health services is clear when he says, “it does not matter who delivers health care; it matters who can receive it.” The Conservative platform proposes “reasonable” rather than “universal” access to health care.

Harper says his position on private health care is not different from that of the Liberals. “The difference is that we’ve been honest about this and they’ve lied about it,” he says.4
Because the Conservatives support the foreign and military policies of George W. Bush

When the United States invaded Iraq, Conservative foreign affairs critic Stockwell Day said Canada should send troops to Iraq and expel the last remaining Iraqi diplomat from Canada. Now, the Conservatives say they fully support the “star wars” missile defence plan of George W. Bush.

The Conservative party has pledged to dramatically increase Canadian military spending, increase the number of soldiers to 80,000 and commit to sharing security information with the United States.
Because the Conservatives oppose a children’s agenda

The Conservative party is opposed to an across-Canada public child care program.

Stephen Harper is also on record as opposing “new money for social assistance in the name of ‘child poverty’.” Harper says, “Our position generally has been to recognize the need for reduction in the area of federal transfers and specifically in the area of welfare.”

In 1994, he congratulated the Reform party for its efforts to push the Liberals further to the right. He said there had been many “positive” developments as a result. “Universality has been severely reduced. It is virtually dead as a concept in most areas of public policy. The family allowance program has been eliminated and unemployment insurance has been seriously cut back.”

The Conservative platform for this election proposes that children as young as 14 be tried n adult court.
Because the Conservatives would not work for workers

Stephen Harper says he would eliminate the Employment Insurance surplus by reducing premiums paid by employers and employees. But he wouldn’t improve EI benefits for workers, nor take government action to create jobs.

The Conservatives would increase the retirement age and make workers wait longer for pension benefits.

As well, they would make it easier for employers to intimidate workers who speak up for their rights in the workplace and attack workers’ rights to organize collectively and join unions. This past year they voted overwhelmingly against anti-scab legislation introduced by MP Monique Guay.
Because the Conservatives oppose an agenda for equality

When Stephen Harper left the Reform party to become president of the National Citizens’ Coalition he said it was because the NCC “criticizes, attacks and gives alternatives to such things as official multiculturalism, enforced national bilingualism, a pro-criminal justice system, anti-family social policies, open door immigration....”

Under Harper, Conservative policies would make inequalities between women and men even worse. Harper says he is a “social conservative” which means he refuses to recognize the struggles of women and equality-seeking groups for social justice.

The Conservatives promise to cut social programs even more severely than the Liberals. Vowing to cut corporate taxes even more than Martin, the Conservatives say they want to lower taxes to US levels. 5This would be very bad news for women, children, new immigrants and the many other Canadians who depend on healthy social programs.
Because the Conservatives do not support collective property rights for aboriginal people

Conservative MP Chuck Strahl is on record arguing that individual aboriginal people should have the right to buy and sell ancestral lands that have always been held in common by First Nations.6The Conservative platform says it would transfer property rights to aboriginal people on an individual basis.

This means the Conservatives are continuing the Reform aboriginal policy of old. For example, Conservative candidate Gumant Grewal was part of the shameful filibuster of the historic Nisga’a Treaty in December 1999 when the Reform party tried to scuttle passage of the treaty by presenting 471 amendments during an exhausting 42-hour debate.
Election 2004 Because the Conservatives blame regional inequality on the regions

The Conservative platform on regional development would focus entirely on deregulation and incentives for business. Harper blames the regions themselves for uneven development. In 2002, he said, “There’s unfortunately a view of too many people in Atlantic Canada that it’s only through government favours that there’s going to be economic progress…. That kind of ‘can’t do’ attitude is a problem in this country but it’s obviously more serious in regions that have had have-not status for a long time.” 7
Because the Conservatives oppose the Kyoto Accord on global warming

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives would do nothing meaningful to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance/Conservatives fought hard against the Kyoto Accord and are big supporters of the oil industry view that Canada can ignore its international obligations to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming.

With Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, pollution and smog would increase and Canada would do little to reduce the harmful emissions that are contributing to droughts and damaging human health worldwide.
Because Stephen Harper’s Conservatives care more about private corporations than the public institutions that make Canada unique

The top priorities for the Conservatives are further cuts to government and an expanded role for the private sector. Harper says, “We do need deeper and broader tax cuts, further reductions in debt, further deregulation and privatization … the public arguments for doing so have already been won.”8

The Conservatives would do away with the Canadian Wheat Board, ceding ground to multinational agribusiness. And Stephen Harper recently spoke in favour of “commercializing” CBC radio and television. 9

Harper says,“ I don’t worship the marketplace, but it is a proven mechanism for providing the highest opportunities for personal choice and prosperity.” 10
 

cyberclark

Electoral Member
There was a letter in today's Journal and the writer takes the view that both parties are middle of the road; there will be no extreme charges to anything, regardless of who gets in. The Journal liked it so, it got published.

I am not of that mind. The Conservatives have put themselves in a position of extreme action or face the wrath of their support! I believe there is so much pressure on the political system to move towards the World Trade Organization position.

The Fraser Institute and their austere members such as Mr. Manning have played a large part in his election as has the right wing press. All of these supporters want pay back!

The only way to get the programs into place is to change the charter of rights and freedoms and change the Canada Health Act. The latter I think is also on the agenda for Mr. Martin.

I do believe the predictions I have made will all come full force before the Conservative term is out. That is all that is needed for Ralph Klein (slated to become Senator Klein courtesy of Harper) needs to complete the rape of this Province.

Universality if Harper is elected is gone and the Governments will defer to insurance companies decisions and policies as a way to escape criticism.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
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Stephen Harper
Stockwell Day
Brian Mulroney
Chuck Strahl
Peter MacKay
Deb Grey
Craig Chandler
....... ad nauseous.... do people need much more reason than that?
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
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Saint John, N.B.
#juan said:
Stephen Harper
Stockwell Day
Brian Mulroney
Chuck Strahl
Peter MacKay
Deb Grey
Craig Chandler
....... ad nauseous.... do people need much more reason than that?

Hey, I can understand some hesitation on some of these people......but what the Hell is wrong with Chuck Strahl? He always struck me as the most honest MP in the House. I'm just sorry he won't ever be leader of the CPC.

Deb Gray is retired.

Who the Hell is Craig Chandler?
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
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I have no Idea.

I found it on the web somewhere. I thought it would raise a few right wing hackles. :lol:
 

timson

New Member
Jun 9, 2005
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Craig Chandler made a failed attempt to lead the Alliance. Upon stepping down, he took the opportunity to spew the most homophobic speech ever heard from a public figure. He now heads up an organization which is fighting tooth and nail to overturn the SSM legislation as well as overturning a woman's right to choose.

He, like Jason Kenney, is mentally ill due to his internalized shame of actually being homosexual.