Editor:
Harper stated a long time ago that “economic freedom” trumps “political (personal) freedom.”
The Conservatives have incrementally moved to strip individual rights and freedoms from Canadians. Cherished social programs, such as cutting $36 billion from health care over 10 years, are also in jeopardy.
Canadian writer Cleo Paskal uses “nationalistic capitalism” to describe the way China’s central committee authoritatively mandates economic activity and ruthlessly supresses any dissent. Bill C-51 is a distraction from the Harper agenda focusing not on terrorism, but the suppression of freedoms.
Harper has convinced Canadians that personal security is at stake.
Canadians only need to surrender the freedom to assemble, the freedom to speak, and the freedom to protest a pipeline, a dam, or a mine — any activity that “threatens the economy.”
These age-old freedoms will be punishable by fines and jail.
Oh, and there will be no meaningful parliamentary oversight to safeguard abuses of individual rights.
The government’s vision of the economy trumps freedoms.
Harper has presented himself as the guardian of the economy.
After seven balanced budgets by Paul Martin, Harper plunged the country back into deficit because he placed his single economic egg for prosperity into the tar sands’ nest.
Economists warned of the petroleum boom and bust cycle; economist Jeff Rubin alone has devoted two books to the impending economic disaster awaiting Canada if we do not change course.
Now, we have a budget to distract voters from economic mismanagement.
The words “balanced budget” and “tax cuts” are distractions for a failed economic vision, and Harper’s foolish strategy to sell tar sands’ products abroad while the world is working to reduce oil dependency.
Before October’s election, we will be distracted further from the real Conservative agenda.
Peter Smith
Williams Lake