To the Editor:
Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty say they welcome constructive suggestions to help the Canadian economy, but every decent idea is summarily trashed.
In the wake of new forecasts by the Bank of Canada, all our private sector banks and the International Monetary Fund - which have slashed Canadian economic growth prospects by 25% and warn that things are likely to get worse - the least the Conservatives should do is STOP exposing Canadians to greater vulnerability.
They allege we may be "doing better" than other countries, but that's not saying much when all those "others" are doing so badly. They're settling for mediocrity.
To climb back to higher standards and better shelter Canadians against global risks, here are five sensible things the federal government should do:
At a time when Canadian jobs may be increasingly in jeopardy, cancel the $1.2-billion increase in job-killing EI payroll taxes which the Conservatives plan to impose on January 1st;
Avoid cuts in federal programs and services that would cost jobs, add to unemployment and contribute little to fighting the deficit;
Back away from "big-ticket" new spending schemes (like the purchase of over-priced fighter-jets without competitive bidding, the fixation on bigger jails, and extra corporate tax breaks for the most privileged 5% of businesses without any job-creation guarantees) all of which, taken together, will add billions to Canada's deficit over the next several years;
Make federal tax credits for home-caregivers, volunteer firefighters, and children enrolling in sports and arts programs fully refundable to ensure fairness to lower-income families;
Provide some decent measure of flexibility to seniors approaching hard deadlines for the conversion of their RSPs into taxable RIFs (especially given dismal stock market results which have eroded their savings).
These are constructive suggestions. They are eminently affordable. And they would help Canadians cope with the economic turmoil ahead.
Ralph Goodale, MP, Wascana, SK.
