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Ottawa, Ontario
My fellow Canadians,
The next 37 days will be some of the most crucial in our
history. There has never been a federal election that has more
clearly provided Canadians with such a stark choice between two
visions for our country.
Mr. Harper’s party is not the former Progressive Conservative
Party. It’s not only the word progressive that has been dropped
from their name, it’s the meaning of it as well.
For two and a half years, Canadians have had a Prime Minister
who does not believe that the government can be a positive force
for change. A positive force for a strong economy. He does not
believe that the government has anything to offer families
coping with job losses.
Stephen Harper formed the most conservative government in
history. A government that does not believe that it has a role
to play in lifting the least fortunate out of poverty and does
not take the climate change crisis seriously.
Because they don’t understand the role of the government, they
are unable to provide sound policies for Canadians.
They inherited a surplus of $12 billion dollars, which they have
squandered within two and a half years. So, we are almost back
to deficit. In the first two quarters of 2008, the economy has
had its worst performance since 1991 since Brian Mulroney.
Statistics Canada admits that the struggling U.S. economy is
doing better than that of Canada’s.
Since the Conservatives came to office, Canada has lost hundreds
of thousands of good well paid jobs in our important
manufacturing sector. They have put forward no plan to work on
our country’s challenges because they don’t think those problems
exist.
The words "fight against poverty" have yet to cross the lips of
Mr. Harper.
Not only do they have no plan to make our society fairer, they
have shown no interest in helping Canadians in need. With this
Conservative ideology, Canadians are left to fend for
themselves.
It’s not that these Conservatives do not spend. In fact, they
are the largest spending government in Canadian history. But
they spend with no plan, because they govern for the next day,
the next poll, the next election. Never do they govern for the
next generation.
I say to Canadians, ask yourselves: Has Canada grown stronger,
under the Harper Conservatives?
Ask Canadian families who are waiting for a child care space: Is
Canada growing stronger?
Ask the 200,000 families who have faced job losses in the
manufacturing sector while their government sat on their hands:
Is Canada growing stronger?
Ask the hard working Canadian public servants who this
government has fired and intimidated for simply telling the
truth: Is Canada growing stronger?
Ask Canadians who support our arts and culture, who have seen
this government eliminate essential programs: Is Canada growing
stronger?
Ask Canadians who are concerned about our country’s role in the
world, and who saw Stephen Harper sabotage international efforts
to fight climate change: Is Canada growing stronger?
The style of Stephen Harper is something we cannot tolerate
anymore. He has been a Prime Minister who wants to control
everything, but achieves nothing.
He has been the most secretive Prime Minister in our history and
the most manipulative. Just look at how he triggered this
election, in breaking his word. He said many times, including in
the House of Commons that he would not seek an early election,
that he would respect his own fixed election date law.
Stephen Harper broke his word, again, in calling this election
now. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t think you will notice.
But, in fact, he is giving us the opportunity to reject his
narrow minded right-wing agenda and his secretive, unaccountable
style of government.
A protest vote, though, is not what we need. We need a vote to
replace this government, with a progressive government. It’s
what we Liberals will offer to you.
Starting today we will talk with you about our exciting plan and
vision for our country that will aim to bridge Canadians from
sea, to sea, to sea.
A plan to help protect jobs today and create new ones for
tomorrow. A plan to invest in the future, so that we can leave a
better country for our children and our grandchildren. Yes, a
plan for ourselves and our children.
For a stronger economy, a fairer society and a cleaner
environment.
We are offering a government that will be truly open,
accountable, transparent, and honest. We Liberals have the team,
we have the plan, and I must add we have the leadership. My
fellow Canadians, I am excited about this election that will
give me the opportunity to have a direct dialogue with you, and
for the first time, you will be able to learn more about who I
am, and what I stand for.
Stephen Harper has spent millions of dollars in attack ads, and
he will spend millions more, to distort reality and attack my
character. Well, it’s a complete fabrication that’s not me.
I love Canada. I entered politics to keep this country together.
I fought to keep my country united. And now, I want to devote
all my energy and conviction to make this country richer, fairer
and greener, and to have Canada play its full role in the world.
I want to speak to you directly as fellow Canadians during the
coming weeks.
We Liberals will fight fear with hope, lies with facts, and
Republican-style attack ads with Canadian style courage.
Stephen Harper has spent millions of dollars in attack ads to
distort a key policy for our country’s future, the Liberal green
shift plan. In fact, what we are proposing is a great policy for
Canada that has worked wherever it has been used in the world.
It is supported by countless economists and environmentalists,
including Nobel Prize winners.
The idea is as powerful as it is simple: We will cut your income
taxes and shift those taxes toward pollution. We need to cut
taxes on productive activities and shift those taxes to
pollution. It’s what countless economists have told us to do,
but it takes a politician with courage and vision to propose it.
It’s what I am proposing to do. It’s what we Liberals are
proposing to do. We will tackle the climate change crisis. We
will increase our energy efficiency, and we must increase our
competitiveness in the world economy by creating well paid jobs
here at home. Don’t listen to Stephen Harper, we don’t have to
choose between these goals, we have to combine them to succeed.
I want to unite the economy and the environment, because I know
that it is possible with a good plan. I want Canada to be at the
forefront of the global green revolution because we are a great
people, ready to take on a great challenge. I want to reduce the
number of Canadians living in poverty by one third and cut the
number of children living in poverty in half over the course of
my government’s first mandate because I know that it is both
necessary and realistic.
Now I would like to speak specifically to my fellow Quebecers.
My friends, I am as proud a Quebecer as Gilles Duceppe. That is
not the subject of our disagreement. The subject of our
disagreement is Canadian unity. I believe that in accepting help
from other Canadians and offering our help to them, we are no
less Quebecers, we are even more so. If we take Canada out of
our hearts we lose a part of ourselves. And the role that we can
play - that we should play - in this Canada that we have built
is more important than ever before, now that the environment,
the climate change crisis, has become a global issue.
Together with all Canadians, we are in charge of a country the
size of a continent. We are its trustees, on behalf of humanity.
My fellow Quebecers, I suggest we embrace this challenge, to
promote our culture and our know - how everywhere in Canada, all
the way to the Arctic, the great planetary barometer. Nothing is
too big, nothing is too ambitious for the hearts of Quebecers.
My fellow Canadians, we Liberals will speak to your great minds
and your big hearts about our vision and plan for a richer,
fairer, greener Canada. We will spare no effort to earn your
vote on October 14th, after what may well be the most crucial
election campaign in our history.
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