- The 'Right' choice is not the right choice

Lorne Gunter: How the Liberal elites lost touch with Canadians, 7 Jul.'10, National Post
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/07/07/lorne-gunter-how-the-liberal-elites-lost-touch-with-canadians/

Lorne Gunter: How the Liberal elites lost touch with Canadians, 7 Jul.'10, National Post
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/07/07/lorne-gunter-how-the-liberal-elites-lost-touch-with-canadians/

Mr. Gunter, you have turned away from more than just the Liberal Party.

The 'Right' choice is not the right choice.

Stephen Harper and the Con's represent a dismantling of Canada and a nation, an abdication of Federal nationality to the individual provinces. The Harper policies are designed to benefit a small part of Canadian society, with epi-centre in Alberta and the rest of Canada be damned.

The Con policy of giving every family with children under six a tax credit is a prime example of this process. It is general knowledge that the $1,100 (minus tax etc.) a year doesn't come close to helping those that need help. At best it is a salve for the 'haves' of this great nation to tell themselves they are somehow helping the 'have-nots'.

And after all, that is what the Federal Government is all about: 'to help those in our society that need help and protect those that need protection'.

That is what Pearson and Trudeau were all about, uniting all Canadians to help those that need it, building a nation that we all can be proud of and not something where only a few 'elites' benefit and at the expense of the rest.

We are an economy based society. The 'have-nots' are the reason the 'haves' have. For the 'haves' to suggest that the 'have-nots' not benefits from the wealth they generate is a form of elitism that is a throw back to medieval times.

Another example are the Tar Sands. They are allowed to pollute with free abandon generating huge profits that flow outside Canada and it is the people of Canada that is left to clean up after them. Not only this the good tax payers of Canada must shoulder the burden of the subsidies that these companies get.

Economic elitism is not 'Empowerment of the Individual'. Liberating all members of our society to contribute according to their abilities empowers not just a blest few, but empowers us all, gives everyone the freedom to make choices, and empowers us as a nation.

This is the underlying and unifying thread that brings all Canadians together and empowers them to achieve that which as individuals they, whether individually 'empowered' or not, could never dream of achieving. Without it, Canada is nothing more than a bunch of loosely strung out population centres with only one common thread - vis.: 'everyone for themselves'.

This is not elitism it is nation building.

Let us not allow Harper and his Con's to tear apart in a few short years what it has taken our forefathers generations to build through their blood, sweat and tears, of which health care and retirement income, are direct results.

Let us not leave our children with the resentment that we were ever given a turn at the helm.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html