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Liberal-Lie-a-Day: Dion vows to reduce poverty
by Barry Artiste | November 10, 2007 at 06:29 am
637 views | 0 Recommendations | 2 comments
Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
How refreshing the Federal Liberal Leader Stepane Dion is carrying on the Decades old Pinnochio tradition of rhetoric which Liberal are famous for. Now Public readers can google Stats Canada figures on Poverty, and lo and behold when the Liberal were in power for over a decade before the Stephen Harper and this Conservatives came to power, Poverty under the Liberal Regime was appalling. Under the Conservative Government, the dollar is up, reaching heights never seen before, unemployment is down since the 1960's. Something the Liberals in their entire reign have never even cooming close to accomplishing.
My Final Thought
Canadians know a good thing when they experience economic progress, and under the Liberals, this was an experience Canadians do not want to repeat.
TORONTO -- Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, in a major policy announcement aimed at attacking poverty, vowed on Friday he will create a "greener, richer and fairer" Canada.Mr. Dion said his plan -- "the strongest government action in a generation" -- aims to share Canada's prosperity with seniors, children living below the poverty line, single mothers and the working poor.
Mr. Dion, comparing his strategy to that of former British prime minister Tony Blair, set targets to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line by 30% and cutting the number of poor children by 50%.
"Today we aim high," said Mr. Dion, in a speech to the Learning Enrichment Foundation in Toronto. "In five or six years, I want all of you to say you were there when Canada's next prime minister set out his 30/50 plan."
It's likely the Liberals see the issue as one that will resonate with Canadian voters.
In a poll released amid much federal election speculation last month the issue that prompted the most support was help for families living in poverty.
"In the next federal election, we will present to Canadians a compelling platform that will lower the overall tax burden of Canadians, make further progress on federal debt repayment, and will invest in the priorities of Canadians for a richer Canada, a greener Canada, and a fairer Canada.
"The fight against poverty that we are proposing today will be a key part of this platform. It will be fully costed and affordable," the Liberal leader said.
Under the plan, a Liberal government would:
-- create a new benefit to encourage and reward work and give Canadians a springboard to independence;
-- support working families by making the non-refundable child credit into a refundable credit and expand and improve the Canada Child Tax benefit, so that even people who do not pay taxes receive a benefit; and
-- help lift vulnerable seniors out of poverty by increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement payments for the lowest income seniors, ensure that the loss of a partner does not drive the surviving spouse below the low-income threshold, and encourage and reward those seniors who choose to participate in the workforce.
November 10, 2007 at 06:29 am by Barry Artiste, 637 views, 2 comments
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 14:18 on November 10th, 2007
Barry Artiste, it's clear to me that you're not a fan of the Liberal party, but I think it's unfair to say the economy was suffering under the previous Liberal governments. It's my understanding that they were paying down the national debt, a long term plan not likely to be popular in the short term, but absolutely necessary if we want our children to have better opportunities.
According to this research paper from Statistics Canada, it is a fact that low wage earnings have fallen in the last 20 years, and so has the probability of low wage earners breaking the cycle. However, it's hardly the government's fault entirely, besides changing the minimum wage. In today's global economy, it can be difficult for businesses to offer higher wages and still remain competitive, as seen by the outsourcing of many jobs overseas. I don't know the exact numbers for the market equilibrium for wages, but I am tentatively supporting an increase in the minimum wage because I believe that it hasn't kept up with inflation, effectively giving the poorest a pay decrease every year. Just raising the minimum wage willy-nilly is not a good idea though because there are other downsides. For example, it cuts the lowest skilled workers out of the job market, and raises the high school dropout rate.
As for your comment regarding the rising dollar, besides the obvious patriotic upside there are many downsides. Politicians and economists don't paint a rosy picture. Exports are down and imports are up, which is going to affect the GDP, our borrowing power, etc. Also, I think it has a lot to do with the economic situation in the US, their borrowing and currency diluting habits as of late.
at 10:38 on November 11th, 2007
Thanks for commenting James, though I am not a fan of some liberals as having worked in the ministers office of CCRA,I have seen liberals up close and the waste,stupidity and ethnic vote grabbing where liberal would shake hands with the devil if they thought it would get them elected. Though I never paint all liberals with the same brush as I have worked with Liberal John Manley when he was ITC minister, the man would have an excellent Prime minister, I also know NDP Ed Broadbent too another man I admire and Coquitlam NDP Mike Farnworth as well as Conservative MP James Moore, both these men are of the same mind, though different parties. I am a Fiscal Conservative period, though never a fan of Mulroney as a poltician either, I am more for the politican rather than the party. I worked for the Reform, and this liked Manning, Harper,Day and a few others I knew for over a decade. If NDP Farnsworth were in my riding, I would be a toss up for me either Moore or Farnsworth to vote for. I voted for Manley a Liberal when I was in his riding. As the conservative candidate did not have the experience, believe it of not there are NDP and Liberals who are Fiscal conservatives. As for the Dollar, well in part it's rise is due to problems with the US, but a large part due Harper and his conservatives policies. Minimum wage, of course is an issue, but very few make minimum wage in this province where businesses pay a premium for quality workers. I strongly believe you are paid what you are worth, and if you feel your not getting your due, you have the right to move on for better wages. For others to get a boost in the minimum wage,sure if the economy can afford it, there are downsides for both our dollar and leaving minimum wage, but their are upsides too, such as tax incentives for lower paid workers, such as no income tax for any single person making 15 K a year and no income tax for any family making less than 30K with kids. Unions crying and whining to government to raise the minimum wage for their workers, smacks of unionism in that a raise in minimum wage means a raise of 10 to 15% in their union dues and income tax, so workers are screwed anyways. In ending I just know Dion and his group of scammers will promise the moon and never deliver, just like this predecessors, it is not like poverty just showed up yesterday, the liberal track record during their tenure was appalling, as was their non action on the environment, yet when in opposition all of a sudden poverty and environment is important to them. The Liberals fought to keep the asbestos plant in the town of Asbestos, Quebec open, come hell of high water, when conservatives wanted it closed. The Liberals shovelled a million truckload of our tax dollars to Bombardier for job creation in Canada, and once Bombardier got the cash, they closed their Canadian plants and relocated to the states,Conservatives knew it, yelled about it, but Canadians didn't listen, as per usual.
I could go on and on, but whats the point? The Lieberals have a history of screwing us, for their own gain.
You make excellent points as well James and I appreciate your comments .