Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke NDP
The Conservatives, in their opposition to a planned tax cut for lower-income Canadians, have made it clear that they prefer wealthy to ordinary Canadians, according to NDP candidate Sue McSheffrey.
“The NDP-supported a $500 increase in the basic income tax exemption and reduction in the lowest tax rate which went into effect on January 1st. However, the Conservatives have now stated that they will revoke these tax cuts, which favour working class taxpayers, if they are elected,” McSheffrey reported. “So once again, the Conservatives have made clear that their financial program is based on giving more money to the wealthy - as always, by removing services and tax advantages for ordinary working people.”
McSheffrey said that this Conservative effort to remove a benefit for ordinary people went hand-in-hand with their intent to remove day-care funding, and to turn Medicare over to private insurance companies so they can make profits out of Canadians’ health problems. “People who want to punish the Liberals will only punish themselves if they vote Conservative,” McSheffrey said.
Echoing federal NDP leader Jack Layton, local NDP candidate Sue McSheffrey today expressed her concern about a post-election alliance between the Conservative party and the separatist Bloc Quebecois aimed at making Stephen Harper Prime Minister, with Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe the power behind the scenes.
“Harper has already promised to turn over massive amounts of federal tax revenue to Quebec - which would seriously weaken the power of the Canadian government,” McSheffrey said. “He and the Conservatives voted regularly for Bloc Quebecois motions last spring in an effort to bring down the federal government. In last night’s leaders’ debate, we watched Stephen Harper treat the Separatist leader with deference and kid gloves. I think that Canadians who oppose Quebec’s separation should ask Conservative candidates if they intend to woo Quebec separatist votes in the next Parliament - and what price they are prepared to pay for those separatist votes.”
Past attacks by Conservative leader Stephen Harper on Canada’s national social programs should not be forgotten by voters, said NDP candidate Sue McSheffrey today. “When he was advising Alberta premier Ralph Klein, he was all in favour of dismantling a number of important federal programs,” McSheffrey said. “Harper is on record as wanting to build a ‘firewall’ around Alberta to avoid national programs. He advised Alberta to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan, and to remove themselves from the national Medicare program. He also expressed opposition to programs aimed at improving the condition of children in lower income families.”
With such a record, McSheffrey said, it is little wonder that the Conservatives are so comfortable with the separatist Bloc Quebecois. “The separatists oppose national social programs; so do the Conservatives. The separatists want a massive transfer of Canadian tax money to Quebec; so do the Conservatives.”
“It’s one thing to want to put an end to Liberal corruption,” McSheffrey said. “But voting Conservative could also put an end to many highly-valued national programs as we know them, like Medicare and pensions. To oppose corruption, yet to endorse Canadian social programs, people have to vote NDP.”
Voters who want something done about corruption have no choice but to vote NDP, said NDP candidate Sue McSheffrey today. “The Conservatives talk about Liberal scandals, but ignore the scandals from the last Conservative government, where one Minster had to resign for every year they were in office, and patronage reached record heights. They also ignore current questionable practices, such as the apparent misuse of confidential information by MP Cheryl Gallant, as well as using public communication funds for partisan purposes. In fact, they won’t even talk about it - not a good sign of belief in public accountability. ”
The NDP, said McSheffrey, had a concrete plan to reduce opportunities for scandal and corruption - a program the Conservatives are unwilling to adopt. Elements of the plan include a massive increase in the amount of information lobbyists will have to disclose about their activities and their fees, fewer political appointments, more protection of those who disclose government abuses, and controls on spending during party leadership campaigns.
“Both the Conservative and the Liberal Parties are riddled with lobbyists and office-seekers who see government as a cash cow. Only the NDP is willing to shed the light of public accountability on these influence peddlers and patronage hounds, ” McSheffrey said.
“Ignoring public debates, refusing to answer charges of abuse of power and misuse of funds: Cheryl Gallant by her silence has become the Invisible Woman,” said NDP candidate Sue McSheffrey today. “This suggests that either she is afraid of public accountability, or has a profound contempt for the democratic process. I believe that the people of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke deserve a Member of Parliament who is visible and who is accountable - one who is always ready to answer questions about her conduct - which Gallant is not - and one who represents her entire constituency, not just her own followers,” McSheffrey said.
McSheffrey expressed particular disappointment at the cancellation of an important public debate in Pembroke, sponsored by the prestigious Rotary Club, because Cheryl Gallant refused to attend. “Ten all-candidates events were scheduled, covering this riding. Every other candidate pledged to take part in all of them. But Cheryl Gallant has refused to participate in most of them. She has refused seven debate invitations. She refused to meet with the Citizen’s election board. When combined with her silence in the face of serious charges which have been referred to the Canadian Ethics Commissioner, voters are entitled to ask ‘Where’s Cheryl?’. The voters have every right to wonder whether they are properly served by an Invisible MP,” McSheffrey said.
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