Jack Layton: New Democrats are B.C.’s positive alternative to Harper Conservatives

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      Everywhere I travel in this campaign, I hear from Canadians who want leadership they can trust—leadership that focuses on the things that matter.

      Five years ago, Stephen Harper came to Ottawa promising to stand up for B.C., clean up Liberal scandals, and treat your tax dollars with respect.

      But Harper broke those fundamental commitments. He worked with Gordon Campbell to bring in the HST and then voted to impose it on British Columbians. He replaced Liberal scandals with scandals of his own. And he is spending billions on corporate tax giveaways while ignoring key priorities, like health care, jobs, and the environment.

      No wonder British Columbians think Ottawa is broken.

      That’s why I have put forward a practical plan with key commitments that I will deliver on in my first 100 days.

      My plan is focused on what matters to you and your family. I will:

      1. Hire more doctors and nurses: We’ll start training more doctors and nurses, and give doctors that have left Canada incentives to come back home.

      2. Strengthen your pension: We’ll work with the provinces to double your public pension and offer you more choice over your retirement savings.

      3. Kick-start job creation: We’ll give small businesses a two-percentage-point tax cut, and bring in targeted tax credits for companies that hire here in Canada.

      4. Help out your family budget: We’ll cap credit card fees and take the federal sales tax off home heating, and give consumers control over cellphone bills.

      5. Fix Ottawa for good: We’ll stop the scandals and commit to work with other parties to get things done for you.

      You can count on New Democrats to deliver on these commitments. And you can count on us to stand up for British Columbia.

      When Harper put the HST to a vote in Parliament, New Democrats were the only party to vote against it. And unlike Harper, I won’t punish British Columbians if you decide to vote against the HST in the referendum. The $1.6 billion Harper paid to B.C. for the HST should stay in B.C. And I will take further action to make life more affordable, including steps to improve family and maternity leave and lowering household energy costs.

      New Democrats are the only party that has stood up to Stephen Harper’s anti-environment agenda. I will end multi-billion dollar subsidies to oil companies and big polluters. And unlike the other parties, my plan dedicates long-term resources for urban transit, clean water, and green infrastructure.

      And New Democrats are the only party that has consistently and passionately defended public health care against Conservative and Liberal cuts. My plan puts forward practical ideas to improve patient care, including measures to reduce the costs of prescription medicines and expand care for seniors.

      These are the priorities I have been fighting for my whole life. And they are my commitment to you in this election. You know where I stand, and I promise you this: after the election, I will immediately get down to work on your priorities. You can hold me to it.

      Jack Layton is the leader of the New Democratic Party.

      Comments

      11 Comments

      Rain

      Apr 18, 2011 at 2:57pm

      Jack is where he needs to be; a fantastical politician with fantastical ideologies.
      The last thing we need is Jack in power - only to be corrupted in a heartbeat and the realization that the NDP's policies are impossible and ALL politicians are the same.

      That would only further depress the Canadian public.

      Melodia

      Apr 18, 2011 at 3:08pm

      A vote for the NDP IS a vote for the NDP
      Vote for whichever party platform speaks to you and the rest of Canada. Compromising your principles will never lead to a better outcome. Check out this link for summaries of the different party platform and see which one sounds better to you!
      http://www.canada.com/news/decision-canada/promises.html

      UWSofty

      Apr 18, 2011 at 3:39pm

      I'm voting NDP!

      Scott Clark

      Apr 18, 2011 at 4:02pm

      Like everything else, voting is not so simple. What is the goal of the vote and the environment it is cast in? I support ANYBODY BUT CONSERVATIVE (ABC), the environment is that we see 4 main national parties who are splitting the vote and enabling the conservatives to form government. My principles are to see the most challenged groups able to have equality of conditions for opportunity. In this environment it makes sense to strategically vote to displace the conservative MP's with MP's from the other parties.Under the existing system too many votes are wasted but progressive people are coming up with innovative strategies such as Catch 22 on facebook or vote swapping. Our MP's regularly strategically vote why is this not extended to us?

      Terry J. Nanaimo

      Apr 18, 2011 at 9:41pm

      I'm voting NDP.

      Jack Layton for Prime Minister

      Apr 19, 2011 at 6:53am

      After decades of dismisal by the mainstream media Layton is surgeing in the polls and the poor msm is struggling to understand what is going on.

      Citizens are waking up and they are pi$$ed! The conservatives have never represented the mainstream citizen, the Libs pretend and from time to time they have. The New Democrats have never shifted their focus from representing EVERYONE. The focus is on serving those who need it the most, not the ones who need it the least (like the con's & lib's do).

      Jack Layton is th only one who has been trying to make Parliament work. He has reached out to all sides in an attempt to avoid continueing Harpers mockery of the system. If Harpers character would have allowed for any accomadation, as in the norm in every other country in the world when faced with a minority government, a whole lot of productive legislation could have been produced. Minority governments created all of the good stuff this country has to offer i.e. Medicare, etc.. Grown up's understand that. Harper has been acting like a child, a clever and manipulative child but a child none the less. Its time he got sent to the corner for a time out - especially for secretly selling this entire country out under CETA. This agreement might be good for Bildenburg attendees but not Canadian Citizens and their businesses & governments. Jack Layton for Prime MInister - Lets have a real change!

      Linda

      Apr 19, 2011 at 9:19am

      Harper's agenda is, Global Governance for Canada. Everyone present, were horrified by his speech. It is 1% of the giant corporations, that will be the Global Government. In his speech Harper said, Global Governance has been worked on, since 1945. If Harper wins a majority, Canada will be no more.

      Harper gives billions of our tax dollars to, banks, mines, large corporations, gas and oil company's. On the House of Commons TV channel, I watched that motion pass. These big businesses, also get huge tax reductions. Harper just gave them, another tax reduction, which will come off Canadians paychecks. Ask yourselves, why is Harper thieving from the Canadian people, to give to the wealthiest outfits in the world? Follow the money, the dots do connect, right to the greedy huge company's. These huge corporations, hoard all the money. The cash flow stops all around the globe, this causes a recession. This has been going on as Harper said, since 1945. This was right after, Hitler's plan for a, thousand year Reich, which was also a Global Government. Every recession is caused by, stopping the cash flow. Some say the Bilderberg Group are, these giant corporations.

      Canada doesn't even bother to study other countries, that have very successful health care plans. Because, a Global Governance doesn't care about the everyday citizens. Right now, seniors don't get surgeries, they go untreated in the Emergency rooms, and are left in hallways. How many times have we heard, the old are left to die?

      This is Harper's evil agenda. He is rabid and frantic to win this election. He has a convicted criminal as his adviser. He and his Conservatives, are in contempt of the House. Harper had the gall to say, he would stop all of these criminal acts, if we give him a majority.

      Canadians want Canada sovereign and free. If Harper doesn't want Canada to be a free and democratic country. He can get the hell out.

      Barney Fife

      Apr 19, 2011 at 9:36am

      Harper's Sales Tax.

      Barney Fife

      Apr 20, 2011 at 10:08am

      Linda, some strong points that you made. I wonder if the average person would see the signs.

      D S

      Apr 20, 2011 at 12:21pm

      Layton has zero chance of becoming PM. I am sure that after this election he will retire to spend time with his family. He's just holding on at this point.