Hedz Sez Archives 2008

I’ve been talking to a lot of young families in Kits....

There is a 3-year waiting list for child care. These young working women are at their wits’ end. They have to work! They are educated. They have a career. They work because the cost of a home is high and mortgages must be paid. One paycheque is not enough.

In fact, studies tell us that many middle income families are 2 paycheques away from bankruptcy if they lose their jobs.

Stephen Harper's ideological response was to give them $100 dollars a month (which he promptly taxed back).

The NDP, in Jack Layton's opportunistic haste to win 10 more seats across Canada, couldn't wait, as Paul Martin asked them to do, to enshrine the liberal $6.5 billion dollar National Child care Plan in the budget so it wouldn't be cancelled by a new government. They called an election prematurely, gave us Stephen Harper, who cancelled the plan.

So voila! These mums have no daycare spaces.... I guess they have to wait for a Liberal government to reintroduce it.

Meanwhile, many kids have nowhere to go for quality early childhood education..... and mums wring their hands in despair!

How ridiculous is that?

At a time when hundreds of thousands of jobs are being lost in Canada, the NDP asks about a plan of action that would cause more job losses.

How does that make sense, coming from a party that claims to represent workers?

For instance, the "we need to shut the tar-sands down” comment from NDP candidate Michael Byers (if you missed the debate, his comment made the front page of Friday’s Vancouver Sun). Everyone knows that the extraction of gas and bitumen is an environmental problem. The process drains the water supply in large amounts, the carbon emissions are huge.

But new technologies are able to change the process. We should stop subsides to this industry immediately and force them to utilize the new technologies that can make the process more environmentally sustainable. The Green Shift plan will do that.

Shutting down the tar sands immediately will lose 145,000 jobs at a time when job losses are escalating... not very bright.

Let's cancel the soft wood lumber deal, says Jack Layton. How smart is that? Over 15,000 jobs have been lost in the BC forestry industry. Mills are closing. Cancelling the softwood lumber deal will cause the loss of whatever jobs are left.

Liberals, on the other hand, were tough in our negotiations with the United States. It was Harper who gave away $1 billion of that deal and succumbed to US pressure. It was Harper who failed to do anything to create new economic development to mitigate the Pine Beetle devastation of our forests.

That's what Layton should be talking about... not jeopardising what jobs still exist in the forestry industry.

Stop the bail-out of big corporations....says NDP rhetoric. I don't think the auto workers who lost hundreds of thousands of jobs in Ontario will agree with that! Nor the garment industry workers, nor the oil field workers.

When does rhetoric cease to be rhetoric and become thoughtless and dangerous public policy?

When the country is on the brink of a recession, and needs a strong government with a clear action plan that focuses on economic redevelopment, encouraging creativity and innovation in sustainable industries, retraining workers for new jobs, enticing businesses to invest in Canada.

Liberals did that in the recession caused by poor Tory policies. We will do it again, with a positive plan of action.

Enough of the rhetoric Jack... those days are gone.

Go back in Canadian history.....It is a fact!

Tory times are Tough Times.

8 years of Brian Mulroney management: $42 billion deficit (doubled in his term of office). 3rd world status debt... double digit unemployment.

Under 33 months of Stephen Harper's economic stewardship, Canada has fallen from being the # 1 economic performer in the G8 to being the worst.

Some suggest that under Liberals the economy was booming because of luck.

10 balanced budgets, the lowest employment rates in 30 years and a rise from #6 in R&D to # 1. An aggressive debt repayment and a $3 billion contingency fund... it’s not luck. It is good fiscal management and prudent investment in social basics and economic restructuring.

Compare with 7 years under Conservative Mike Harris in Ontario -- same finance minister (Jim Flaherty) same economic ideology. Total disaster. Cutbacks in public health services, health care, housing and schools. After the Walkerton tragedy, Harris left Ontario in a $5.6 billion dollar hole.

Who do you want in your corner when the chips are down?

Tory times are tough times.

In medicine it's called gross negligence.

While the US is spending billions of dollars bailing out their citizens from a recession, Stephen Harper says he can't guarantee anyone their jobs. This stay-the-course, let-the-chips-fall-where-t hey-may attitude is not good enough.

In fact, it is eerily reminiscent of Conservative Prime Minister Kim Campbell's glib retort when asked about the double digit unemployment in 1992... government cannot solve unemployment, the economy will take care of itself.

As a physician, I can tell you that in times of crisis, a decisive action plan is imperative, or the patient dies. Standing there and doing nothing is called negligence.

The large number of job losses, negative economic growth, rising inflation have been compounded by the Harper government's inertia.
Since when was doing nothing a sign of strength?

Will young Canadians with 5% mortgages (made possible by the Martin/Chretien boom-times) have to lose their homes before we wake up?

Does Conservative history have to always repeat itself?

ISome pundit recently wrote that as Canada faces economic uncertainty, the best person to steer us through those troubled waters is Stephen Harper.

This statement puzzles me. No matter which way I analyse it, it makes no sense… kinda like the myth that conservative governments are sound fiscal managers.

Think about it! Mulroney left the country in a mess in 1993: double digit unemployment, high inflation, 18% mortgage rates, a 42 billion dollar deficit, a third world debt and the rank of 7th among the G8 nations.

In 3 years, Chretien's Liberal government got rid of the deficit. We began to post 10 balanced budgets, with large surpluses and a $3 billion dollar contingency fund. We also paid off about $70 billion dollars of the debt.

By the time we lost the 2006 election, unemployment was the lowest in 30 years. Canada was number one in the G8, #1 in research and development and the only developed nation to secure its public pension plan (CPP).

Then came the Harper Conservatives. In 33 months, they’ve blown our surpluses. The contingency fund is gone. 155,000 jobs were lost in the last 5 months alone; 10,000 of those in BC's forest industry. Economists say we are heading for a deficit.

Seems familiar?

I know what party I want leading Canada as we head into troubled times!

It's the one with the track record of 13 years of solid fiscal management. Not the one that blew it all in 33 months!

Conservatives are strong fiscal managers! Indeed!

That's why they call it a myth: it just ain't true.

In recent weeks, we Canadians have seen the biggest public health disaster since Walkerton.

Not since the Walkerton tragedy, when Ontarians died as a result of the gross incompetence and the ideological "gutting" of public health services by Mike Harris’ Tory government, have Canadians seen such disastrous management of the public health, not to mention such incompetence and negligence by a government.

The “tainted meat” tragedy has resulted in the deaths of 18 people from Listeriosis.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz exemplifies the Conservative Harper government. He has exhibited all of its traits, with tragic consequences. Through his incompetence, he has mismanaged the Listeriosis disaster in true Harper fashion.

Mr. Ritz sat on his hands and did nothing to remedy the problem until, after 17 deaths and much pushing from the Liberal opposition he called for an internal inquiry into the problem. This has caused an outcry from the Canadian Medical Association's Scientific Journal -- they have pushed for a public inquiry into this scandalous breach of public health principles.

Where was the Minister of Health during these incidents? The minister was in Denver for the Democratic Convention, making jokes about tainted meat at a cocktail party.

The thing about ideological public policy, is that when it is based on faith and nothing more and when policy ignores data, studies and scientific evidence, the citizens are the ones to suffer.
Cutting the resources of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (with a view to privatization) is part of the Harris/Harper school of government. Cutting taxes leaves no income for government services. Everyone is left to fend for themselves.

This callousness, this disregard, and lack of compassion is another trait of the Harper government that Mr. Ritz has demonstrated. His response to the listeriosis deaths was a sick witticism: "death by a thousand cold-cuts".

Is this the government we deserve?

After "pooping puffins " and other adolescent high jinks, the Conservatives have done little to convince us that they have a serious plan or vision for Canada.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has been steaming ahead, rolling out a clear, focused plan of action.

Our vision is of a progressive, productive and competitive nation that sees innovation and creativity at its very core. Investments in arts, culture, new technologies and green industries are at the heart of the Liberal plan.

Canada has always punched above its weight. Developing our human capital is key to our success; we have a plan to invest in training and education.

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), calls the Liberal Education Plan announced today by Stephan Dion the "most important increase in student grants in recent history".

As the Party that brought in Medicare, the Canada Health Act and the Public Health Agency, Liberals continue our commitment to a strong public health care system. We will increase the number of doctors and nurses, bring in a plan for catastrophic drug coverage and strengthen public health institutions such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

A government must protect the health, safety and well-being of its people. Our people are our greatest resource.

So, bring on the rhetoric that comes with elections.

Liberals have a strong and clear vision for Canada's social, environmental and economic future.

Today is Day One of the most manipulative and ironic election campaign in Canadian memory.

Manipulative, because the Harper government appears more afraid of "facing the music" in parliamentary Question Period when the house returns than face the people of Canada.

Manipulative, because Stephen Harper broke the promise of his own legislation for 4 years fixed terms... (He has one more year to go).

Manipulative, because he invoked the "Parliament was unable to function" escape clause, knowing full well that he created the "dysfunction" himself with the 200 hundred page document given to his caucus showing them how to disrupt committees, witnesses and parliamentary process.

The irony is that this is the same Harper who promised to do things differently. Who promised that he would, "put an end" to the manipulation by past Prime Ministers. Who called elections to "achieve purely political and partisan goals".

But the most manipulative irony of all is that the man who promised Canadians that they could trust him to be open and accountable now thinks that he can pull the wool over their eyes.

Canadians are not stupid.

The response that I got standing with supporters on Burrard Street Bridge this morning on DAY ONE said loud and clear that they are not fooled by Harper's Hoax at all.

Sometimes, it is all so ludicrous, you just have to laugh.

Here is Stephen Harper about to call an election.

At the same time:

- The economy is tanking on his watch, so to speak.

- The arts and cultural community, all 800,000 of them, plus their supporters are madder 'an 'ell with him for gutting the industry and imposing censorship on artistic content.

- 80% of the docs in Canada think his government has made a big mistake trying to get between the physician and the patient and tell them what is acceptable clinical care.

- The uncertainty of food safety is creating anxiety amongst Canadians.... The government is dismantling the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, just as we see out breaks of listeriosis in smoked meats, recent e.coli contamination in spinach and salmonella in tomatoes.

- Seniors are still angry at the Broken Promise on Income Trusts that wiped out a lot of their savings.

Yet, our Prime Minister is itching to get to the polls because he says the opposition will block his bills and thwart his agenda.

The House has not met. No one knows what his agenda is, no one has blocked anything.... except the Conservatives blocking parliamentary committee work last session.

So why the rush?

Why the haste to risk an election in such a negative environment?

Why not stick to the much touted 4-year term?

Could it be that...

The results of Elections Canada’s investigation into the Conservative Party’s alleged advertising irregularities (the in-and-out scheme) are pending.

…or that the "Cadman Affair" is about to reveal clearer information from the subpoenaed tapes by the journalist?

…or that the security breaches in the Couillard/Bernier matter will be dredged up again when the House resumes?

Maybe I should reconsider what I said at the beginning of this musing.... calling an election at this time of bad vibes around Harper's government may not be ludicrous. After all… it may be very prudent...

Someone in the tent may be worried that things could get a lot worse!

The Harper government's recent $50-million cuts to Canada's Arts and Culture sector should raise five-alarm bells.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage calls the cuts “efficiencies”. But, the Foreign Affairs Department made it clear that it’s canceling of the International Arts programs, was justifiable because it funded “leftie” authors and rock bands with provocative names.

Once again, the Harper Government has decided to use public policy as a censorship tool; a vehicle for imposing its own narrow ideology on Canadian society.

Last week, the target was physician-patient care, this time the target is Arts and Culture.

None of this should come as a surprise. The Reform Party, of which Harper was a member, always viewed Arts and Culture as an inconsequential frill. I recall, during my days as a Minister within the Department of Canadian Heritage, listening to their assertions that if Art was any good it would sell itself, without any help from the government.

Stephen Harper has the power, and is finally implementing another long-held ideology.

This dismantling of Canadian culture, which has always struggled to breathe under the smothering weight of the world's largest entertainment industry next door, is reason for concern.

As a sovereign nation, Arts and Culture defines our identity. It strengthens social cohesion in a geographically and demographically diverse country. The International Arts programs levered trade in Canadian cultural products and acted as a diplomatic
vehicle to introduce Canadian values to the world. This is why last summer, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion pledged to expand the International Arts Program to $22 million.

Arts and Culture, according to Statistics Canada, is the fourth largest industry in Canada; directly contributing $43.7 billion annually to the GDP, employing over 800,000 people and levering over $2.7 billion in trade. A recent Conference Board of Canada study places these figures much higher.

In today's global economy, creativity, innovation and information is a nation's most important asset. Combined with development of human capital (the brightest and most skilled workforce) they are the only way that a small country like Canada can compete and excel.

A forward-looking government should see investment in Arts and Culture as pivotal to Canada's future; economically, socially and as a vehicle for promoting Canada's diplomatic influence globally.

As always, ideology is the only resort of narrow minds....it is the dead weight that drowns progress.

These latest developments should give us all one more reason to probe the hidden agenda of the Harper government and to be gravely concerned about Canada's future.

I am at the Canadian Medical Association’s AGM in Montreal – and was here in time on Monday to listen to the federal Minister of Health address the doctors of Canada.

It was a speech that was remarkable not because of what was said, but because of what was left out.

Three quarters of the lengthy speech was an ideological rant about substance abuse; specifically, the safe injection site in Vancouver.

We know what the Harper government thinks about Vancouver’s Insite…they oppose it vehemently. They repeated this at the recent WHO conference. They are challenging the BC Supreme Court's favourable ruling on the matter.

The Canadian Medical Association is on record as supporting the project, because it has been shown, in clinical trials, to be an important part of a national drug strategy.

The Minister could have made a brief statement reiterating his government's position and moved on to other important matters like wait times, critical physician shortages or food safety. He could have elaborated more on mental health issues, a key topic at the CMA meeting.

Instead, Mr Clement took umbrage at the CMA's support of Insite. He then lectured physicians on what he believes should constitute appropriate clinical practice. He even used the analogy of palliative care... injecting terminally ill patients with heroin, rather than treating their cancer. To be honest, he lost me there, as I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. The buzz in the room confirmed that no one else in the room did either.

He continued to lecture on the immorality of safe injection as a harm reduction measure. He accused physicians who participated and supported it as being unethical. He elaborated at length on the ethics of clinical treatment in general.

‘Stunned’ is the only way I could describe the reaction of the doctors and other health care professionals in the room. Was the Minister warning us all that his government will decide what care physicians should be allowed to give their patients in the future?

I always thought that diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate intervention in illness was based on internationally accepted clinical practice guidelines. I thought that medical care was decided between the doctor and the patient!

Yet, here was Big Brother getting involved…suggesting what should and should not be done within the scope of clinical practice.

There is a code of ethics under which physicians are required to practice that dates back to Hippocrates and has been cautiously and rigorously updated as scientific knowledge has expanded. Now it seems as if the Harper government wants to change that to suit their own ideology.

It is to the credit of the members of my profession, that they reacted with polite restraint to the Minister's speech.

The Chair of the ethics Committee of the CMA read a response that calmly and gently warned the Minister that ideology should not be the rationale for good public policy. Indeed, that is unethical for a government to do so.

Canadians should not be so calm. They should fear for the future of medical practice and for quality of care.

When a government, hell-bent on ideology, moves outside its scope as public policy maker and assumes the mantle of medical practitioner; moves from the Houses of Parliament and into the OR’s, ER’s and bed-sides of the patient…

It is time to be very afraid.

It seems to me I've Heard that Song Before
It's from an old familiar score
I know it well, that melody...

Escalating job losses: 55,000 last month alone, the largest monthly drop in 17 years. The manufacturing and forestry sectors continue to lose jobs.

Rising Inflation: The Bank of Canada is predicting 4% next year. That’s 1% above the acceptable limit.

A slowing economy: Economic growth shrunk in the first quarter and economists are continuing to downgrade predictions. Do the last 2 combinations lead to Rising interest rates? Could be.

A looming federal deficit, after inheriting the strong fiscal legacy of the past Liberal government: ten deficit free budgets, massive surpluses, investments in economic and social development, research and innovation, a contingency fund and yearly debt repayment.

The Harper government squandered it all in 3 years.

Do you remember? Do you recall the Mulroney legacy ?

As the song said, "I know it well that melody".

Except, no one wants to play it again.

Well, well!

Our dear Prime Minister is concerned about the dysfunctional Parliament! He is so concerned, he may well dissolve Parliament and call an election.

This is not news! This is the boy who cried wolf.

Since his government came to power, Stephen Harper has shown a single-minded determination to destroy the democratic institutions of Parliament. When absolute control by the PMO was not possible; when subterfuge and bulling failed, he resorts to threats of disbanding Parliament!

This is the same PM who thumbed his nose at Parliamentary democracy from day one by naming an unelected Senator (that would be Mr. Fortier) to the major Public Works department, knowing that he would not be able to stand in the House, nor be accountable for the running of his department during Question Period.

Speaking of Question Period...

Question Period was established in the British Parliamentary system to allow Ministers to be publicly accountable for the running of their departments. We all know that sometimes question period is theatre, but in every government in the history of Canada, Ministers have always answered (sometimes obfuscated) questions about their departments.

However, under the Harper Conservatives (not to be confused with the old Progressive Conservatives), it doesn’t matter which Minister the question is aimed at: if it is a criticism, or if it asks for accountability in spending or policy, the Minister is not allowed to answer.

Instead the 3 political attack dogs -- House leader Peter Van Loan, then Parliamentary Secretary, James Moore and junior minister Jason Kenney -- do the answering. They generally start with an insult to the opposition party daring to question, and end with a personal sneer at the questioner. Never mind that these hit-men have nothing to do with the particular department of the Minister being questioned. They don't even bother to reference the department!

Parliamentary Standing Committees are the most important tools for democratic input, by all duly-elected parties, into legislation and policy development.

Under PM Jean Chrétien, these Committees were given extra clout; he began a process to allow review of all government bills (at second reading) by committee. Committees were also given expanded travel mandates to consult with Canadians in every region of the country. This strengthening of Parliamentary Committees represented a major step toward a progressive democracy by allowing civil society to work with government on legislation and policy development.

These same committees are now under constant attack by the Harper government which has a manual for its caucus members on how to subvert that democratic process.

The first line of attack is to rig the list of Canadians who want to have input to the committee; limiting them to 'government-friendly' witnesses so there can be no criticism. Some (very few) Conservative committee chairs have resisted that obvious tactic.

If that fails, the next line of strategy is to unleash the Conservative MPs onto unsuspecting witnesses, undermining their credibility by humiliating and attacking. In some cases filibustering is the order of the day

Finally, if all else fails, staged melodramatic 'walk-outs' by the Chair or the Conservative members is a final resort, so there is no quorum to continue committee work.

Because he has absolute control, the Prime Minister will forbid his Ministers from appearing at committees to answer questions about perceived wrongdoing or about mismanagement in their departments. I don't know of any Prime Minister in the history of the country (feel free to correct me here) who tabled a government Bill with the warning that he would brook no criticism; accept no amendments by MPs or opposition parties...or else...

...or else he will call an election!

Keeping everyone in line and stubbornly refusing to obey the will of Parliament (when there is a unanimous vote by opposition setting a particular course of policy or action) – this is evidence of a dysfunctional Parliament.

Shutting down criticism and muzzling the general population through inferred retaliation, is another ploy to stifle democracy…non-governmental organisations that do not fall into line with the government's agenda fear,they won’t be given the funding they need to provide services and advocate for the communities whom they serve.

The "dictatorship" exerted by Stephen Harper, is not benign.

True, there are no political prisoners languishing in Canadian jails. But the threat (sometimes carried out) to sue any other political party or MP who dares to disagree is just as much an attack on freedom of speech.

So here we are. The man who set about to create dysfunction in Parliament, complains that he doesn't like it!

He is indeed a victim of his own success.

Or is this threat yet another Machiavellian ploy to bring everyone in line? Again?

And this, my friends, is a minority government!

In 1996, Canada was in the bottom ranks of developed countries in terms of research, development and innovation. As we neared the second millennium, we were ill-equipped to compete in that lofty new world of technology, innovation and creativity. Our best and brightest were leaving home to go to countries that allowed them the opportunity to pursue creative, innovative pursuits.

In 1997, spurred by the inspiration of the late Canadian Nobel Laureate Michael Smith, the Chretien Liberal government decided to stop the Brain Drain, and to bring Canada into the competitive arena with other developed nations by investing heavily in Research, Development, Innovation, Science and Technology..

Thus began the Canadian Foundation for Innovation; an arms-length body that, in partnership with the private sector, began to fund university research, linking it with private-sector innovation.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (once the poor cousin to its US counterpart) was given a massive infusion of funds, allowing it to become a world-class institution.

Ten years later, Canada is one of the top five countries in the world from which Nobel laureates are expected to come. The Brain Drain not only reversed itself, but Canada became one of the destination countries for the world's brightest scientists. In an era where human capital, skills knowledge and innovation is the most valued coinage, Canada was a competitor. New jobs would stem from this movement, new industries.

In two short years under the Harper government, Canada has watched investments in science, technology and innovation dry up. The Canadian Foundation for Innovation fears for its very survival. Our researchers and scientists are wondering whether there is room for them, whether their future work will be curtailed; whether they need to seek other pastures.

The National Science Advisor's office -- initiated by the Martin Government -- has been cancelled. There are rumours of suppression of scientific evidence in federal departments, especially if the evidence contradicts the ideological policies of the Conservative Government.

Evidence-based information, once the main rationale for good public policy, has given way to vague, belief-based concepts.

But this is not about academia vs. populism: this ideological desire to "dumb down" Canada will affect our competitiveness in the global economy.
It will force us to move down the rungs of the ladder to compete with the developing nations (whose cheaper labour and larger populations will win the day). We will watch our traditional manufacturing sectors fail. Jobs will be lost.

The early symptoms are already surfacing.

So the federal Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, thinks it's his business to interfere in the Ontario provincial budget.

That's a laugh! This is the same man who, as provincial Finance Minister under Mike Harris, left Ontario with a whopping $5.6 billion deficit.

This is the same Finance Minister who convinced Ontarians that that same budget had been balanced when it wasn't and who today, as federal Finance Minister, assures us that the nation's books are well balanced.

There is a credibility issue here. But that is another story.

The very idea that a federal Finance Minister should interfere in a province's budget process is unprecedented.

The politically partisan way in which that interference was done is callous...but it is the lack of understanding of constitutional jurisdiction; the disregard of consequences and the open contempt for another level of government that should sound the alarm bells for all of us.

A federal government should seek to build bridges, strengthen social cohesion and build a nation. The fact that this one is bent on the petty politics of partisanship and fragmentation is reason for concern.

Yesterday, the fight was with Newfoundland. Today it’s Ontario.

Will BC be singled out next?

There are some who suggest that the Liberals should vote against the Ways and Means Motion that was triggered by the Conservatives' fiscal update.

Instead, we voted neither for it nor against it.

Stephen Harper has been manipulating Parliament by setting up each motion or legislation arising from his Speech from the Throne as a confidence motion. He has also stated that he would accept no amendments to his Legislation. Both of these suggestions show contempt for Parliament and an absolute control that has typified all of his behaviour as Prime Minister.

We, the Official Opposition refuse to succumb to this manipulation.

Abstaining from a vote is our only way to counteract the absolute control of this government... to refuse to be manipulated is in itself a strong principle and requires courage and determination which our leader continues to demonstrate.

Do we agree with the Harper government's Speech from the Throne? No.

Its lack of vision for the country? No.

Its unbalanced fiscal policy that sees tax cuts as the only solution to Canada's looming economic and social problems? No.

Logically, the objective is then to ensure that the Harper government does not have the ability to implement that agenda.

We will do this in a time of our own choosing.

We will also not respond to the NDPs taunts.

Let us not forget that this is the NDP who conspired with the Conservatives in November 2005 to bring down the Liberal government and elect this Harper government. As Tom Flanagan, Harper's senior campaign advisor, unequivocally states in his recent book, the Conservatives could not have formed government without the help of Layton's NDP.

This is the NDP who knew that the Liberal government was implementing all of the policy "principles" that they supposedly espoused:

National child care, $1.4 billion on homelessness, a national housing strategy, Kyoto, the Kelowna Accord, the Court Challenges Program, $3.5 billion in Skills and Training agreements, a strong Arts and Culture policy, a Cities funding agenda and a commitment to global multilateralism.

The NDP knew that the Conservatives disagreed with all of those policies. Now, watching them scream and react to the consequences of their actions 22 months ago is a lesson in hypocrisy at its best.

There are principles worth fighting for. Principles that are also in the best interest of Canadians.

The NDP had the opportunity to stand on their principles.

They chose otherwise.

So how about that 'high employment' statistic eh?

Stephen Harper and his government continues to crow about the high levels of employment in Canada... The highest in 3 decades! …as if they could take credit for the phenomenon. This theme was evident in the Speech from the Throne, in the recent Economic Update and in many statements in the House of Commons.

And yet, what a misnomer! There are jobs and there are "jobs". To be employed is not always what it is cracked up to be, especially if you cannot support a family on your wages.

Nor if you are a two parent family in which you must both work to make ends meet, and have to spend most of your paycheque on child care... or even worse....if you cannot find qualified, affordable, child care.

Nor is the high employment level a consolation, if you just lost your job in the manufacturing sector; with a mortgage and two kids in high school, hoping to get to College.

Nor is this relevant to the internationally-trained worker who cannot work in their field of expertise, but instead holds down two, sometimes three, low-paying jobs in order to house and feed a family.

It is interesting to listen to the "experts" muse on the semantics of high employment.

In the end, it all really depends on the perspective.

There are those who cite evidence of wage inflation as the conundrum...this may be so in certain sectors where there are skilled, trained workers. But there are many parents who cringe, as their children drop out of school, to flee to Alberta and (paradise for an adolescent) $15 an hour, at a fast food restaurant.

New data tells us that in many working, low or middle income families both parents are forced to work, just in order to keep ahead of the costs of housing, feeding and educating their children (kinda like that hamster on the classroom wheel).

Most of these families are only 2 paycheques away from poverty...if they should lose their jobs...or if inflation rises...or, if the much touted "standard of living" goes up...

Yet, the "experts" speak of the booming economy! They don’t mention the widening prosperity gap… no longer a case of the "haves and have nots", but the difference in wages between the wealthy and those who work and work and work, in this "high employment" milieu, to keep their heads, barely, above water.

While the "chattering classes" bemoan the fact that Canadians "are not saving and living beyond their means."!

The government takes credit for the booming economy.

But the government has done nothing to deal with the shutting down of the manufacturing sector. Nothing to help workers in those sectors to retrain for jobs in the "new economy" (cancelling, instead, the Liberals' 3.5 billion dollar training and skills program with the provinces).

They have done nothing to provide quality affordable child care for the families that need two incomes to survive! Cancelling instead, the Liberals' $6 billion agreement with the provinces for a national child care strategy.

They have done nothing to help those families afford safe and decent housing. Instead, the Liberals proposed national housing strategy fell through because of a premature election. For this, we can thank the NDP, when they joined with the Conservatives to bring about a Harper minority government.

They have done nothing to help kids get an education in the new world of work. Instead, they cancelled the Liberal post secondary education policies in favour of an $80 tax credit.

Nothing (other than an information hot line) for the foreign trained worker. Cancelling, instead, the Liberal plan and funding, which addressed this complex issue.

So when you hear of the great levels of employment and the booming economy, remember the "prosperity gap" that now places middle and low income Canadians on one side of a widening chasm.

And ask the Conservatives what they intend to do about it!

Ask the NDP why they conspired with Harper's party in the Fall of 2005 to get us into this mess!