Statement
by Liberal candidates Bob Rae and Ujjal Dosanjh
“As
former leaders of NDP governments at the provincial level, we are today
proud supporters of Michael Ignatieff and the progressive Liberal platform
that he is presenting to the Canadian people in this election.
“We have taken a hard look at the other two platforms, and neither Mr.
Harper's nor Mr. Layton's pass basic tests. The Conservatives are
not coming clean on the cost of important promises, like wholesale changes
to the Criminal Code, new prison costs, the untendered fighter jet
commitment, the unnecessary (and expensive) corporate tax giveaways, and
the $11-billion budget hole that will inevitably mean deep cuts to federal
programs like health care.
“The NDP program has largely gone unscrutinized, but this now needs to
happen. Their election platform is full of 'rubber dollars' and promises
that simply can’t be kept. The NDP has already backed away from setting
up a cap-and-trade system, which would have taken years to implement. This
leaves a $3.6-billion hole in their platform that will come at the expense
of fiscal prudence or lead to the shelving of all their green programs.
“The NDP promises to abolish the Senate, which it can't do, and to lower
tuition fees, which lie exclusively within provincial jurisdiction.
The NDP has also promised to hire thousands of doctors and nurses for a
mere $25 million within 100 days. What is being put forward is not a
realistic basis for a government agenda. It is a series of sweeping
promises that do not reflect any sense of what it actually takes to
govern, what will make for a productive, sustainable economy and a just
society.
“We both decided to return to federal politics as Liberals because the
party's practical idealism is what the country needs. Theories and
ideologies, however well intentioned, will lead the country down paths
that will be profoundly unproductive for Canadians.
“We urge Canadians who share our vision of a compassionate and
productive country to keep working and voting for the Liberal Party. Great
programs like Medicare, the Canada Pension Plan, our strong partnerships
with businesses large and small, our concern for a more sustainable
economy – all of these will need renewal and support from a Liberal
government and the provinces. We are proud to be running as Liberals and
ask Canadians who have supported these critical efforts to do so once
again by voting Liberal on Monday.”
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