There are legitimate reasons I do not support the NDP this election. And it's not fear.
NDP want to re-open NAFTA. This is a fools errand. This is risking Canadian jobs and livelihoods for nothing other than pandering to the anti-trade crowd.
NDP want to re-open NAFTA. This is a fools errand. This is risking Canadian jobs and livelihoods for nothing other than pandering to the anti-trade crowd.
Harper tried the party of one thing. It didn't work. Sadly for Mr. Singh he lost 1/3rd of his team. They quit. He has demonstrated a distinct lack of knowledge on complex matters. His team is not ready.
His climate plan has been evaluated by multiple independent expert teams now (Leach, Jaccard, Hayhoe, etc). Although his target is ambitious his plan is lackluster. Not only is it more expensive than the LPC plan it is inferior in efficacy. Nice words only.
Singh ignores the reality of governing. He ignores jurisdictions. He promises the nearly impossible on truly impossible timelines.
He promises to eliminate GHGs from the power grid but ignores this is provincial.
He promises to eliminate GHGs from the power grid but ignores this is provincial.
NDP: "O&G will continue to form a part of Canada's energy mix in the immediate future, we will continue to prioritize domestic upgrading and refining instead of shipping our raw resources and jobs to other countries."
Double-speak. Nonsense.
Double-speak. Nonsense.
No commercial entity is interested in upgrading oil in AB. Notley tried this too and got little interest. NDP complain about buying a pipeline but talk about building refineries? Cmon...
Then NDP go on to say they are eliminating billions in O&G subsidies. Apparently subsidizing a refinery doesn't count. But I already analyzed this subsidy claim and found it false.
On the fiscal side the NDP were hammered by Kevin Page and the IFSD for a lack of transparency. Not because they didn't indicate what they were going to do but they had no plan of how to achieve it.
That's a running theme. Nice words. No plan.
ifsd.ca/en/blog/last-p…
That's a running theme. Nice words. No plan.
ifsd.ca/en/blog/last-p…
Both Mr. Leach and Mr. Page have expressed concerns about the timelines proposed. Managing a broad economic transition on the scale proposed by the NDP will result in significant worker displacement. It is insulting to tell us otherwise.
It is insulting to tell the workers: "Don't worry. There will be pharmacare and green jobs. You just have to relocate, retrain, and everything will be fine."
We have to transition. But you should be honest about what will be required.
We have to transition. But you should be honest about what will be required.
"Page’s institute highlighted how the NDP does not account for potential “negative economic impacts” of quickly implementing these higher taxes."
Again - looking at the rosy nice words and ignoring reality.
Again - looking at the rosy nice words and ignoring reality.
Pharmacare. GPC is proposing pharmacare that will cost $30B/yr. NDP is $10B/yr. LPC is consulting with provinces. How can GPC's cost 30 but NDP only 10? NDP are hoping provinces will agree to the other 20. NDP are also promising to start this plan in 2020. Possible? Not really.
NDP are promising a blanket veto for QC and a quasi-veto for other provinces on any projects they don't like. They say they will work cooperatively to get agreements on other aspects of their plan. How do you "work cooperatively" with Moe, Ford, Scheer, etc?
And how can you grant a veto for some things but impose your will for others? They won't act on Bill 21. They argue Trudeau should withhold medical funding from provinces that don't cooperate and yet the NDP are granting vetoes?
Populist nonsense.
Populist nonsense.
Finally on tone the NDP and Singh have adopted the CPC strategy of playing fast and loose with the truth. There are a growing number of fact checks that have found the NDP's claims fabricated.
Singh personally has insulted Trump multiple times. While this may "feel good" it is not appropriate for a PM to do so.
He and the party react impulsively without forethought for the consequences. Or they hide them. Like they hid their costed budget.
He and the party react impulsively without forethought for the consequences. Or they hide them. Like they hid their costed budget.
Page on the NDP platform, "they just struggled to get a document out period. They probably would have liked to have gotten it out a week ago. They just weren't ready."
That says it all. They aren't ready.
That says it all. They aren't ready.
Fiscally they aren't being transparent with their plans not because they are hiding it but simply because they don't seem to consider the details important. On climate their plan is worse and more costly.
They aren't for me. And it has nothing to do with fear.
They aren't for me. And it has nothing to do with fear.
