A Month Away

The Federal election is a month away. Who knew it would be so hard to find a Party with a head, a heart, and hands – to think, to feel, and to do? So far, they are all mouth and no teeth and no  … .

I’ve been looking at national issues that are within the Federal jurisdiction because this is a Federal election. So far, none of the Parties are scoring well. So far, they are all dancing on the head of a single pin – fighting over millimetres. I need to find a policy, a platform, or a prior performance that separates one Party from the others. Promises are not enough. Speeches, sound bites, and ads don’t do it for me.

What singular issue will allow me to make my final decision? What will set one Party apart?

Will that be …

Climate change? No. I really do not care what any particular Party says they will do to stop Mother Nature. I want to hear from a Party that understands that we are witnesses to the inevitable. Climate change is not the problem – the outcome of climate change is the problem. I want to hear from a Party that can look and plan beyond next week to deal with the consequences. Get your head out of your butt.

Economy? No. I absolutely believe that governments have far less influence on the economy than they would want us to believe. All of them take credit for good times and blame others for bad times. I call this the Hysterical Historical Model of Economic Explanation. Get ahead of the curves if you can.

Taxation? No. All the promises and positions of the Parties are smoke and mirrors. They give with one hand and take with the other resulting in net zero change. Besides, I believe in flat-tax. Every dollar should be taxed at a single flat rate percentage. No exemptions. No deductions. No Carbon tax. No GST. No PST. Get your hands out of my pockets.

Health care? No. I believe that health care should be federal not provincial. We have 11 government health ministries – or is it 15 when you count Territories, Veteran’s Affairs, and First Nations? Stop paying to manage health care and start paying to deliver health care. One goal – one national department. Get out of the boardroom and into the operating room.

Single-payer drug plan? No. I am opposed to a list of available prescription medications being a matter of cost and not a matter of health care. If the drug you need is not on “the list” then what good is a cheap drug plan. NDP is committed. Liberals are supportive. Conservatives are not opposed but have questions that the others have not yet answered. The issue is not lower costs. The real issue is effective treatment.

Size of government? No. I don’t see any of the Parties reducing the size of government significantly. I would if I could but I would do it by removing the Provincial-level of government, by making property, health care, and education Federal responsibilities, by reducing our laws and courts to a single nationwide code, and by instituting a flat-tax. Small government is good government.

Debt and deficit? No. I don’t see any of the Parties actually balancing the budget and reducing the debt.

Immigration and multi-culturalism? No. More immigration? Less immigration? Either works for me. I am more concerned that we have three self-governing communities and two official languages within one geographic country – but none of the Parties will change that. Meanwhile, we have lots of land and there are people who need a place to live. These issues only exist to provide employment for lawyers.

What singular factor will push me to a final decision? I don’t know today but I’ll know by next week.

 

Stuart Syme