It appears that I have ruffled some feathers with regards to my last letter regarding Stephen Harper and his Regressive Conservative Party.
Let’s take a look at just what Mr. Harper has done for, sorry, I mean to this country. We shall start with the veterans of this great nation.
I do recall Mr. Harper saying something about the present government not being responsible for the obligations made by previous governments with respect to wounded veterans (physical or emotional).
Now he cries crocodile tears for the latest victim of these sick conflicts and does a complete 180. He is quick to point the finger of blame at the previous government for the woes of the veterans. If this is the case, and he felt veterans were getting shafted, why did he not fix it when he took power? Why the latest announcement about new rules regarding veterans?
Because it’s an election year. He took $1.18 billion away from the vets over eight years instead. What a great leader. He does not care. I wonder if he feels the same way about the RCMP members and their families, or CSIS members and their families.
Now let’s talk about the middle and low income families. His twisted distorted view of reality when talking about defining “middle income” as being in the $100,000 range only reiterates how out to lunch he really is. If this figure is correct, the there’s a whole hockey sock of us out there who are in the poor house. What has he done for the middle and low income earners? Nothing. Why? Because he does not care.
What has he done for the rich? Plenty. tax breaks, more tax breaks and the ever popular income splitting, which 85 per cent of Canadian families will not benefit from. What a great leader!
Let’s touch on environmental issues. Many scientists and experts were muzzled with respect to speaking out about the dangers of oil pipelines. Harper took it upon himself to change the status of the Humpback whale from “endangered” to a “species of concern” to pave the way for industrialization, amidst the protests of many experts. He lifted federal protection on countless rivers, streams, and lakes, leaving them also open for industrialization.
Someone called me a paranoid in the media for thinking I would be placed on a no-fly list or have my taxes audited for speaking out so harshly against Mr. Harper in my last correspondence. Ask the many organizations who spoke out against Mr. Harper’s policies who suddenly found themselves on the business end of a CRA audit if I am paranoid. This is Mr. Harper’s leadership style; fear and intimidation.
Bill C-51 preys on the fears of Canadians that ISIS will land on Canadian soil and cause a big kerfuffle. Harper is trying to make himself look the hero for this bill. This is not the first time terrorism has hit Canadian soil. Remember 1970 and the FLQ? Pierre Laporte being kidnapped and murdered? How about Denis Lortie storming the Quebec Legislature with a machine gun? Were C-51 type drastic measures taken? No. Why not? Because it was not necessary, same as today. Only a handful of Canadians have ever been killed on Canadian soil in a terrorist-type incident
The CBC must feel under pressure; has anyone seen the latest anti-Harper ad? One guy tied to a chair and tossed into the lake encounters another man tied to a chair? As both men sink one says, “you too, Frank?” The other guy nods and says, “all I said was ‘Mr. Harper, maybe we should leave the CBC alone.’” And then the slogan ‘Keep the CBC free from government interference.’
To any of you Harper supporters out there, I think this says it all. Still think he is a great leader?
Mark Billesberger
Penticton