The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Steven and Stephen At the risk of boring readers with more about Conservative Health Critic Steven Fletcher (and also increasing his ego), please consider a few more words about him surveying his voters. In a neat brochure, Steven promotes the well-accepted fact in Canada that the health care status quo is not working, that the Liberal way of throwing more tax money is not solving the problem, and that new, creative solutions are needed. The Liberals continuously try to scare Canadians by claiming that a Conservative government would somehow damage health care and lead to the type of two-tier system Ð one for the rich and one for the rest of us (it has been argued in this column before that a two-tier system already exists in Canada). Fletcher writes the following in a short statement called "Did You Know?": "The Conservative Party supports the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canada Health Act. In fact we will reinforce the Act by adding a sixth principle that guarantees stable and transparent funding to the provinces. We are committed to a publicly-funded health care system. We do, however, believe that health care services should be delivered in the most effective manner, whether publicly or privately. "Provinces should have the flexibility to provide health services using the most appropriate provider, based on quality and cost. The Conservative Party is calling for national strategies to combat major diseases like cancer, mental illness and cardiovascular diseases." He follows up with a five-point health care survey of his constituents asking things like: "Do you know someone who has had trouble getting access to medical care?" and "As long as health care is publicly-funded so that all people have access to needed treatment, would you support alternative delivery options such as private clinics and public-private partnerships?" Longtime political observers know that surveys are normally worded to gain certain opinions (as are polls), but this survey is worthwhile as it solicits opinions from voters and doesn't just state the beliefs of leaders. Stephen Harper is saying the same things about Medicare as Fletcher, indeed emphasizing that the Conservative Party will improve the health care system to prevent the drift toward a two-tier system. He also promises they will establish maximum accepted waiting times. Harper's policies on Medicare and everything else are published in a brochure called "Stand Up For Canada." It states that the Conservative Party is standing up for: Leadership to restore honesty and integrity in government. Tax relief and better jobs. Choice in child care. Better health care with shorter waiting times. Safer streets and a stronger country. The policy objectives are pretty straightforward and positive, and are most certainly a contrast to the scandal-ridden and idea-less Liberals. Government reform would strengthen the power of the Auditor-General, strengthen internal audits, expand the Access To Information Act, and give Parliament, not the Prime Minister, the power to appoint all officers of Parliament. The Tories pledge to provide real tax relief for all Canadians by increasing the basic and spousal exemptions, reducing taxes on business to help create jobs and lowering payroll taxes such as unemployment insurance by eliminating huge surpluses created by the taxing taxes. The child care policy (explained previously) offers parents a real choice, and Canadians' concerns over our lax justice system are addressed, with changes promised such as providing mandatory minimum sentences for repeat and dangerous offenders. Also, the Conservative approach would require consecutive, not concurrent, sentencing and would eliminate automatic release. This would be quite a change from the "slap-on-the-wrist/serve little or no time for crime" allowed by the courts today. The Conservatives also intend to register all sex and dangerous offenders and require them to provide DNA samples. All defences for possession of child pornography would be eliminated. More to come in the future, but as a biased commentator, I find the proposals mentioned a display of good common sense and not at all scary to the Canadian way of life. It's quite a change from the Liberals' way of dredging up and recycling old promises, none of which they tend to keep.11/30/2005
