Douglas W. Judson
Dear editor:
The competence of our region’s NDP representation again should be called into question.
After opposing the Conservative government with irrational glee for the past year, New Democrats opted to prop up the same Stephen Harper they have condemned, on alleged principle, for 79-consecutive Parliamentary votes.
The NDP’s justification for supporting the Conservatives’ EI reform disrespects voter intelligence. Harper’s EI concession comes nowhere close to the demands made by the NDP, and their strategy of altering the legislation through private member’s bills is a sham.
Such bills can take years to pass, especially for the smallest party on the Hill.
It also is misleading for Jack Layton to declare sudden excitement for the home renovation tax credit bundled into this legislation, or for his realization that Canadians do not want an election. The NDP voted against these same initiatives when the budget was brought forward last winter.
If Canadians don’t want an election now, they certainly didn’t want one then.
At that time, the NDP was free to grind their no-confidence axe and cry “foul” because they knew an election would be averted–an election in which they still are poised to lose seats.
Since the last election, New Democrats have condemned the Liberals for trying to make Parliament work. Meanwhile, Liberals have held the Harper Conservatives to account by requiring regular progress reports on the state of the economic recovery and by holding talks with the government on the subject of EI reform in exchange for Liberal support.
The NDP’s weak standing in the House saw them shut out of any bargaining, requiring that they feign disgust at even the suggestion of collaborating with the government in order to hide their sidelining in Parliament.
Despite efforts by the Liberals, Prime Minister Harper has proven himself unable to play nice with others–a requirement of a minority government. Time and time again, only threat of defeat forces Harper’s government to change course and reluctantly support Canadians in need at home and abroad.
It is for this reason, after having exhausted all alternatives, that the Liberals have made the reasonable decision, on principle, to no longer support this government.
Let’s compare this deduction to the self-interested rationale of New Democrats: they want us to accept the fallacy that they support a specific piece of Harper’s begrudged legislation while at the same time unequivocally rejecting all things Conservative.
To ensure local complacency in the face of such contradiction, Mr. Rafferty’s latest diversion of calling for further meetings on the challenges of the forestry sector exposes the NDP’s fundamental weakness: an inability to influence action.
In the last Parliament, Liberals obtained all-party support for the passage of a report on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. It outlined specific recommendations developed in consultation with forestry associations, corporations, labour, and community leaders from our region.
Now would be time for the NDP to put their money where their Marx is and press for the recommendations instead of tire-kicking the issues for media exposure.
Jack and Gilles have run up the Hill. But should we come tumbling after?
Our working families should question their trust of the NDP—a troupe that cannot maintain consistent positions on broad principles, let alone drive action on the specific needs of their communities.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Judson
Emo, Ont.
