The Editor:
The NDP’s acclaimed candidate for Souris-Moose Mountain is quite misleading in her commentary about the ambitions of the NDP in forming government. She talks about their plan to build a strong, balanced 21st century Canadian economy. I, much like many voters, am probably more confused than frightened by what the NDP proposed to do in Canada.
Despite the NDP rhetoric about their ability to balance budgets, the havoc they left after being removed from office in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia and soon, Manitoba, has left an indelible mark on the minds of voters.
She comments on the NDP proposal to support the west to east pipeline. Voters are not exactly clear if this is indeed the case. In Western Canada, Mulcair is all in favour of the pipeline. In Quebec, where he is pandering to his separatist base, he is not in favour and uses such noble words as “objective reviews,” and “fact-based findings” before a decision will be made. President Obama has used the same tactic for the past seven years with respect to the Keystone Pipeline. We know how that turned out.
She comments on the tax reduction for small businesses, but omits the NDP is committed to increasing corporation taxes. This is where the NDP and their understanding of business becomes fuzzy. You can be considered a small business, but be registered as a corporation. So, no tax decrease, but rather a tax increase. To how much? We don’t know because Mulcair says it is forthcoming. Much like the Alberta budget!
The main theme of the NDP platform is their proposed one million child care spaces that their federal government will ‘create’ at the cost of $15 per space. Beyond the obvious question of why should it be a role for the federal government to create child care spaces, the wheels are coming off this proposal as Ontario, B.C. and possible Saskatchewan and Manitoba and certainly Quebec, are unsure of participating because no one knows how much this will cost although estimates are as much as $5.5 billion. The government is going to mandate to daycare operators how much they can charge someone to look after their child — $15 per day. For Souris-Moose Mountain residents what does this mean? It means they will be spending tax dollars on spaces in major cities.
Ms. O’Dell is right about one thing. The NDP is not socialist. They now prefer to call themselves progressives since socialists have such a bad history. Progressives believe government can, and should, be all things to all people. In an area such as Souris-Moose Mountain where people are entrepreneurial, independent minded, community oriented and focused on their families, having the government make those decisions on how we should live, reminds us why the NDP continue to not be welcome in Saskatchewan.
George Rigaux
Estevan
