To the Editor,
I’d like to share with you and your readers the reasons I intend to vote for Stephen Harper in October. As he says, “We need a steady hand on the economy.”. Some people have questioned how steady the Prime Minister’s hand has been. So, I will outline six points where Mr Harper’s economic policies have distinguished him from previous PMs, going back as far as William Lyon Mackenzie King.
The economy is singularly important in this election. With that in mind, I don’t intend to let the Prime Minister’s somewhat spotty record in other areas sway my vote. We are all aware of how his government sacrificed environmental concerns to promote big oil. I understand why our civil rights and freedoms were curtailed to protect us from threats to our civil rights and freedoms. It’s unfortunate that the missing and murdered aboriginal women ‘aren’t high on his radar,’ but it’s cynical to think that has anything to do with ‘politics’. I see the fact that Harper is constantly at odds with the Supreme Court of Canada as a sign that the he is trying to implement a more efficient, authoritarian form of government. I could go on and address his contempt of parliament, his party’s long record of election fraud, his transformation of our role in the world from peace keeper to belligerent, and his many other known and acknowledged shortcomings. But, as they said in the U.S. “It’s the economy, stupid”.
So, here are the six ways in which Stephen Harper has distinguished himself from his recent peers.
1. Under Stephen Harpers watch, the average annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at 1.6 percent. This is the lowest rate of the last nine prime miniisters. Even Brian Mulroney managed a growth in GDP of 2.6 per cent
2. At one per cent, Mr Harper is responsible for the lowest job creation rate in Canada since WWII
3. The employment rate fell by 1.4 per cent under Stephen Harper. This is the only time it’s fallen, since Diefenbacker.
4. Real exports from Canada have increased by a paltry 0.3 per cent under Stephen Harper. That’s the lowest increase in the post war era.
5. The richest 1 percent of Canadians received 12.7 percent of Canada’s income under Harper. The second most disproportionate amount since King.
6. Finally, while the 1 percent were getting richer, GDP per capita barely rose at all (0.4 percent) under Stephen Harper. Again, the worst since WWII.
All kidding aside, Stephen Harper’s steady hand at the wheel has produced the worst economic results in modern history. He has steered us into another recession. The only industry he ever promoted is stagnant, and the Loonie is flirting with a 75 cent low.
While I still intend to vote for Stephen Harper, out of habit and fear, I encourage all of you to vote for a change. Vote for anyone but Harper!
Steve Whitred