So the Liberals would have us believe that to be a Canadian, one must be a Liberal. That’s the predominant message coming from Paul Martin’s camp in these early days of the official campaign. Check out their first ad.
Today Martin promised to inject $11 billion into Canada’s health care system. Which he says he’ll do without raising taxes. uhh… where have I heard this before?
And before his graciousness goes and paints himself as the saviour of health care, let’s not forget that the only one ever to cut health care spending was St. Paul Martin! Remember that medicare started as a 50/50 deal between Canada and the Provinces. Until the feds under then-finance minister Martin decided to balance their books by cutting transfer payments to the provinces who now pay 86 per cent to the feds’ 14. (In Ontario, Mike Harris’ Conservatives actually increased health care spending from $17B in 95 to $29B in ’03 – and who’s now getting blamed for gutting Ontario’s health care system?)
In all his efforts to demonize the Conservative tax cut plan, it seems St. Paul has conveniently forgotten that he was the finance minister who not so long ago was bragging about having brought in the “largest tax cut in Canadian history.” Valued at $100 billion, that cut was more than double what the Conservatives are proposing now. So when a Liberal cuts taxes, it is to be seen as compassionate, but when a Conservative proposes tax cuts they’re trying to destroy the very fabric of Canadian society?
Which Canadian values are the Liberals such shining examples of? Deceit, Lies, Corruption, Hypocrisy all spring to mind.