In front of a bored group of children in gym clothes the other day, the Hair announced the obvious: Canada is in an economic ‘downturn.’ Neither he nor Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver has used the ‘Recession’ word. Even with our economy so obviously in the crapper, the Conservatives will stay the course, the Hair informs us. It could be the beginning of a crumbling Conservative campaign for re-election.
Whether Canada’s current economic doldrums are a full-blown recession or not is still to be resolved. Economists with the major banks and investment houses are arguing but if we have one more quarter of no growth in gross product, it will officially be a recession.
In the finest tradition of his Parliamentary Secretary Paul Calandra, the Hair knows that any question can be easily answered by ignoring it. The Hair told the children in his audience that the downturn was not his fault. After all what is the point of telling children that by choosing to put all of Canada’s future in the hands of the oil and gas industry, he had backed the wrong horse. And he is not about to admit that the destruction of Canada’s manufacturing sector was as deliberate as it looked,
The Hair is very proud of his government’s “strong fiscal discipline” which means nothing will be done about the economic ‘downturn.’ Joe Oliver certainly seems to buy that. He also tells us that he is a ‘stay the course’ type of guy. And if he said there will be a surplus this year, he will make sure the figures say there will be a surplus this year. He is not about to change the story just before a federal election.
It is also critically important to the Conservatives that their supporters get money this month to prove that the Conservatives are keeping their word about the benefits of voting Conservative. While in a sane world you would expect that the government should have a couple years of surpluses under its belt before scattering largess to people who do not need the money.
Mind you, when the government recently announced that “the cheques are in the mail,” people had every reason to be puzzled. With the National Revenue Agency insisting on direct payment through your bank these days and the current drive to eliminate mail delivery to your door, these people really know how to rub salt in wounds.
But for the few people who will benefit from Conservative generosity, get it while you can buster. The Hair and his friends have caused enough hardships for Canadians.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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