A typical Conservative party news release in the Stephen Harper era

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      (Editor's note: This is a message from the Conservative Party of Canada that was sent to news outlets across the country today. It's being posted in its entirety and unedited so that Lower Mainland voters can see how Stephen Harper's party is framing its campaign message to the media.)

      WEEK 2 REVEALS IGNATIEFF COALITION’S HIGH-TAX AND SOFT-ON-CRIME AGENDA

      OTTAWA – Today, Conservative candidates John Baird and Lawrence Cannon re-capped the second week of the election campaign that was unnecessarily forced on Canadians by the Ignatieff-led Coalition. They noted that Mr. Ignatieff finally revealed a few aspects of his agenda, which he admitted does include billions of dollars in tax increases and various soft-on-crime measures to reduce penalties and sentences for convicted criminals. Observers, including Jack Layton, agreed that this agenda was closely aligned with that of the NDP, and the Bloc Québécois made clear its preference for an alliance against Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. These parties are paving the way for Mr. Ignatieff to become Prime Minister with the support of the NDP and Bloc Québécois no matter who wins the May 2 election.

      “This week Canadians saw Stephen Harper focused on completing the economic recovery and strengthening the financial security of Canadian families through his low-tax plan for jobs and economic growth,” said Baird. Prime Minister Harper unveiled his “Here for Canada” low-tax plan, Children’s and Adult Fitness tax credits, doubling of the TFSA contribution limits for Canadians and actions that recognize and respond to the needs of Canadians in rural communities. Specifically, Prime Minister Harper committed that, if re-elected, his Conservative Government will re-introduce and implement the 2011 Budget, the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

      In contrast, this week Michael Ignatieff unveiled:

      ”¢ His high tax-and-spend agenda of costly promises paid for by job-killing tax hikes that will stall the economic recovery. According to their own numbers, the Liberals’ plan will cost $8.2 billion over the next two years alone, paid for by a $6-billion tax increase on businesses, a $700-million tax increase on post-secondary students and their families, and $4 billion in EI premium increases on workers and businesses, etc. Mr. Ignatieff has refused to take a GST hike off the table and his party voted in Parliament in favour of an iPod tax.

      ”¢ A co-ordinated agenda, with his Coalition partners, the NDP and Bloc Québécois, to immediately defeat the Government should Canadians decide to re-elect Stephen Harper’s Government with a minority mandate. This week, Mr. Ignatieff and his partners all said they will disregard that mandate from Canadians by once more rejecting Mr. Harper’s 2011 budget, the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. These co-ordinated votes against Stephen Harper’s re-introduced budget would pave the way for Mr. Ignatieff to become Prime Minister and govern with the support of the NDP and Bloc Québécois.

      ”¢ His agenda, should he become Prime Minister, to re-visit the tough-on-crime laws enacted and advanced by the Stephen Harper Government, and to make fundamental “changes in Canada’s criminal justice policy.” (Michael Ignatieff, CPAC, April 6, 2011)

      “In the second week of this unnecessary election, Michael Ignatieff has revealed to Canadians his agenda to become Prime Minister with the support of the NDP and Bloc Québécois even if the Conservatives win the election. They are united in wanting costly tax-and-spend promises and dangerous soft-on-crime policies,” said Cannon. “If Canadians choose to re-elect Stephen Harper’s Government with another minority mandate, we would be honoured to continue to serve. But voters should be under no illusions: the Ignatieff-led Coalition with the NDP and the Bloc Québécois won't respect that result. Unless we elect a stable national Stephen Harper majority for Canada, Michael Ignatieff, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP will re-form and re-impose their reckless Coalition from 2008. This is the only choice Canadians face.”

      Comments

      24 Comments

      NVan

      Apr 9, 2011 at 1:02pm

      I see 5 paragraphs focused on negatively portraying others, 1/2 a paragraph on conservative promisses ("low-tax plan, Children’s and Adult Fitness tax credits, doubling of the TFSA contribution limits") and a sentence stating the obvious ("if re-elected, his Conservative Government will re-introduce and implement the 2011 Budget").

      I'm a fiscal conservative (social liberal) so I'm no sure who to vote for, but I hate attack ads.

      0 0Rating: 0

      Turtle

      Apr 9, 2011 at 1:41pm

      Disgusting, nasty, and full of lies. This gives us some insight into how these Conservatives think, and it isn't pretty. We can't let these mean-spirited and contemptuous people get the unrestricted power of a majority.

      0 0Rating: 0

      TrailMac

      Apr 9, 2011 at 1:41pm

      If there is a Coalition it may well be a "Self fulling prophecy" based non Stephen Harper's fear mongering as opposed to the devious plotting of the opposition parties. Keep the jobs on shore go Harper go.

      0 0Rating: 0

      David H.

      Apr 9, 2011 at 2:11pm

      And in other news, Libyan government officials hailed the massive and spontaneous outpouring of love for the noble leader, M. Gadhaffi.

      "More than 500 billion free Libyans assembled to pay tribute to their selfless and visionary leader," said the state news agency. "They also condemned the drug-addicted rebels who threaten to cause harm to the peace-loving people of Libya."

      After the rally, approximately 20,000 rebels were escorted to luxurious quarters in the basement of the Gadhaffi palace where they were treated to a series of peaceful re-education seminars, which definitely did not include rape, torture or the removal of body parts.

      Many of the guests were made available to the media after the seminars and told reporters of their generous treatment and prompt medical attention for pre-existing medical conditions like broken bones, lacerations and mutilated genitals. Without exception, these guests praised Gadhaffi for his kindness and concern for the Libyan people.

      0 0Rating: 0

      glen p robbins

      Apr 9, 2011 at 3:04pm

      This press release doesn't make political sense, and is hardly the stuff majorities are made of. The Conservatives are concerned about the "ultimate" (sic) "creation" (sic) of - "a Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition over the Conservatives." "These parties are paving the way for Mr. Ignatieff to become Prime Minister with the support of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois no matter who wins the May 2 election."

      -It is potentially as likely that a slightly smaller Conservative win with a larger Liberal caucus could lead to a Liberal - NDP coalition without the Bloc.-

      This Conservative news release suggests to me that the Conservative Party of Canada does not believe they will win a majority an outcome supported now by virtually all mainstream pollsters---as is evidenced by this statement:

      "no matter who wins the May 2 election."

      Do the Conservatives believe that a majority government can be attained in this election on the basis of a threat? of a possibility that the Opposition may form a coalition or that one of two of them (the only other possibility the Liberals) might in fact win the election-- which would make the first scenario impossible--AND removes any opportunity for the Conservatives to do a deal with the New Democrats or the Bloc - deals which have served them in holding their minority government previously.
      (Who goes all in this early?)

      Also, the Conservatives put a budget forward just over two weeks ago refusing to deal with the New Democrats over $400 million the cost of the elections - for poor seniors in the country -- and now during what Mr. Baird has characterized as an "unnecessary election" has all of a sudden found $11 billion. This won't help relations after the election - particularly if a majority isn't attained. It is not sensible in the event the Conservatives win the same number or a few more seats and fail on the majority - because given the early move on $11 billion in new savings - will put the original budget and the integrity of the Conservatives in the same context as the real basis for the election - a vote of non confidence on matters of corruption--translated as general mistrust.

      If the Conservatives are truly hoping to win a majority on the basis of such an inconsistent --nearly imcomprehensible and negative-- news release - I would strongly suggest that they have miscalculated as most Canadians won't be buying into such depression - (particularly during hockey playoffs - though I am reluctant to use the "Loser" label - owing to its crass negativity).

      I would say that it is never a positive sign when the government or the polling firms alligned with them -- mutually seek a majority government predicated on such defensive fallback positions-- and elevate the totality of their message to one of fear toward their opponents--which has got to be a sign that they have abandoned selling any message of hope - which is what is needed to move forward in support - rather than defend that which you have - and hope to keep --a position which most would derive from reading by this rather poorly conceived message of vote for us or were all doomed.

      0 0Rating: 0

      Hawk

      Apr 9, 2011 at 6:59pm

      I don't believe what I am reading from you guys. First over the years the NDP put you all in the poor house and the Liberals brought in the HST of which you all singed petitions to stop in which they didn't and now you are complaining the Conservatives are writing attack ads. The Liberals have from day one made attack ads. Good God wake up and smell the roses. Did you not hear the Liberals are going to hit the oil industry. The north east of your province is going wild with activity which is a good thing for you. They will stop it. Also the exploration in the Arctic will be stopped.
      The company I work for buys equipment made in B.C. And we are not the only ones.
      Learn what is going on. Who cares about attack ads.
      This letter from the Conservatives is only showing what the Liberals have been saying.
      No real attack.

      0 0Rating: 0

      NVan2

      Apr 9, 2011 at 7:45pm

      Like NVan, I am a fiscal conservative and social liberal. However, none of the parties are fiscal conservatives. Harper pretends to be fiscally responsible but recklessly blew the Liberal surplus (long before the recession) and then ran up the debt while expanding the size of government. He now 'hopes' to balance the budget in a few years despite his obsession with American-style prisons and fighter jets.

      Harper is most certainly a social conservative though, so if you are at all tolerant of other people and care about rights and freedoms, then you need to vote Liberal (or NDP if they have a chance of winning your riding).

      0 0Rating: 0

      KiDDAA Magazine

      Apr 9, 2011 at 7:52pm

      Why anyone would vote for this all white, all right Bush lite, evangelical, warmongering, cut social services party is beyond me. Are white people really that scared of voting for the Liberals or NDP that want a diverse Canada. A Canada where copying American foreign policy, prisons, war on drugs, and racial profling is not in the cards Why do far right xenophobic leaders like Harper with little charisma get elected. Now America is actually more left leaning than Canada and Harper Bush lite. www.kiddaa.com

      0 0Rating: 0

      Taxpayers R Us

      Apr 9, 2011 at 8:17pm

      The Cons are such a joke. They're fear mongering over the opposition's financial plans while they're introducing a budget no one wants that's well into the billions.

      0 0Rating: 0

      A.

      Apr 9, 2011 at 10:12pm

      The only things I've heard from this party are attack ads and political buzz-words "economic recovery". If they had two feet to stand on they wouldn't need to attack all of the other parties constantly. I see Ignatieff as the lesser of two evils here and am stooping to voting liberal.

      0 0Rating: 0