The first though I had on reading Ed Fast’s attack on Mr. Ignatieff was:

If the federal Conservatives put even a tiny fraction of the effort they put into whining defensively “there is no need for an election” into collaborating with the other federal parties, Canadians would not be facing the possibility of another federal election.

The difference between Mr. Harper’s true colours, his actual thoughts and attitudes towards the other parties versus his statements to the Canadian public is clearly shown by the video on the CBC news of September 9, 2009.

By the way Mr. Fast (and perhaps you could pass this bit of reality along to Mr. Harper), Canadians did not give the Conservatives a strengthened mandate: they denied the Conservatives a majority having judged Mr. Harper unworthy of being entrusted with a majority government.

As to the negative effect on the dollar and stock market, both the dollar and the stock market have bounced back. Following Mr. Fast’s logic that would mean that, upon reflection, it was felt that election of Mr. Ignatieff as PM was considered a positive for Canada.

“Why are they insisting on a pointless exercise which will cost taxpayers another $350 million?” That was exactly the question Canadians were asking themselves in 2008 when Mr. Harper ignored the law he and the Conservatives had enacted setting the next vote for October 19, 2009.

Perhaps the answer will emerge from the current court action where Democracy Watch is suing Mr. Harper for violating his own fixed election date law, as well as the Canadian Charter of Rights.

Let’s be accurate: the reason Canada has fared better than most countries is that our banking system was not able to engage in any of the financial mismanagement that banks in the USA and around the world engaged in and that necessitated governments in many countries being forced to bail banks out.

Why did the Canadian banks not engage in this mismanagement? Because the Conservatives could not pursue their deregulation of Canadian banks with a minority government; since it was the Canadian people who refused to give the Conservatives a majority government, it is the Canadian people who deserve credit for Canada  faring better than most counties.

Speaking of the economy Mr. Fast, just how will the Conservatives wild spending spree and the massive deficit they created protect the economy and lead to prosperity?

The Conservative government took over a surplus that was being applied to paying down the federal government’s debt, providing more economic manoeuvrability.

Claiming a surplus that existed only by holding billions of dollars in military spending off the books, the Conservative government proceeded to make tax cuts. Not only had the Conservative government stopped paying down Canada’s debt but, when the cost of their military adventurism in Afghanistan was properly accounted for, begun increasing Canada’s debt again.

The Conservatives, through their demonstrated lack of fiscal responsibility or ability, are creating a level of debt that not only will our grandchildren be paying it off (to their economic detriment), but that our great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren will be burdened with.

“Home Renovation Tax Credit …leaving thousands of Canadians betrayed.” That would be as opposed to the betrayal of hundreds of thousands of unemployed Canadians, the record level of Canadians currently on EI and facing the end of EI eligibility and joining the hundreds of thousands whose EI benefits have run out, the thousands of Canadians who find themselves living in poverty or homelessness or hopelessness?

I am sorry Mr. Fast I am not nearly as concerned with homeowners who have money to spend on home improvements as I am with homeowners losing their homes, those who have lost their homes, those without money for food to eat, food banks (the need for food banks in Canada period) lacking sufficient food to distribute to hungry families and especially hungry children – all abandoned, indeed betrayed, by the current Conservative government.

The recession may be over for those earning immoderate government salaries with gold plated pensions (that even corporate executives with their million dollar bonuses wouldn’t dare give themselves), but for millions of poor Canadians, Canadians living in poverty or homelessness, those who have lost their homes and all else – the pain and effects will be felt for years and many will never recover from these reversals.

Talk about being out of touch with Canadians ….

Mr. Fast – these Canadians are not concerned with prosperity, they are concerned with survival.

Mr. Fast’s Letter

Michael Ignatieff just doesn’t get it. Canadians have made it very clear that they don’t want another election less than a year after the last one. More importantly, a federal election will stall our economic recovery which has just begun. In fact, the stock markets and Canadian dollar dropped immediately after Mr. Ignatieff announced that he was bringing down our Conservative Government and forcing Canadians into their fourth election in five years.

Mr. Ignatieff’s ill-considered action is already creating uncertainty and instability within our economy. If an election actually took place, most federal legislative and economic business would come to a virtual halt for three months. That’s bad for our economy, it’s bad for hard-working Canadians. What’s more, programs such as our recently announced Home Renovation Tax Credit would be at risk of cancellation by the Liberals, leaving thousands of Canadians betrayed.

So why are the Ignatieff Liberals pushing for an election that nobody wants? Why are they insisting on a pointless exercise which will cost taxpayers another $350 million?

First, it’s become very clear that our Conservative Government’s Economic Action Plan is working! Last month, the Bank of Canada’s governor Mark Carney announced that Canada’s economy was the first of the G-7 countries to turn the corner on the recession. And it’s no coincidence that the day before Mr. Ignatieff demanded an election, Statistics Canada released figures showing that Canada’s economy actually grew in June! Thanks to the prudent economic stewardship of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada has fared much better than most other countries around the world.

However, what’s good news for the nation is not good news for Mr. Ignatieff’s thirst for power. He fears that more positive news about our Conservative government’s economic stewardship will derail his plan to become prime minister after being away from Canada for 34 long years.

Mr. Ignatieff also wants to trigger an election now so he can hang on to his majority in the Senate. He has used his unelected and unaccountable Liberal senators to block important criminal justice reforms passed by the duly-elected Members of Parliament. The Liberals have also used the Senate to block our government’s efforts to create senate elections and limit Senate terms to 8 years. As more Liberal senators retire and are replaced by democratic-minded candidates, Mr. Ignatieff would lose his power to block the will of Canadians.

Finally, if the Liberal leader waits until 2010, Canadians may have even more reason to feel good about themselves and their great country. Mr. Ignatieff is afraid that voters will be less likely to vote for change when feeling patriotic – and the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Olympics in February will undoubtedly inflame a greater sense of patriotism and excitement across our country.

Our Conservative Government proved that it was able to govern responsibly and became the longest-serving minority parliament in Canadian history. Canadians returned us to power last October with a strengthened mandate. Surely Mr. Ignatieff and his Liberals can’t believe that Abbotsford residents want another election campaign today?
While the federal Liberals continue to threaten Canadians with an election, our Conservative government remains focussed on our number one priority: protecting Canada’s economy and continuing to invest in stimulus measures that will secure hope and prosperity for Canadians.

Courtesy of Ed Fast, M.P.