The Toronto Star Reports that Jack Layton publically declared yesterday from the floor of the old TSE:
“No new taxes, of any kind,”
“No tax increases of any kind.”
The political boss of the Canadian left has decided that federal coffers are full enough.
The NDP consistently talks about improving public health care, increasing international aid, creating jobs, increased public education. These are very noble ideas, but they are also consistently vague about where the money will actually come from (”a balanced budget” is mentioned on their site).
Don’t get me wrong, I think the NDP is trying to run a great race, but until I see specifics about fiscals I can’t take any of it seriously. As far as I can tell our coffers are NOT too full - we even can’t afford the country we’re running right now - let alone with those improvements.
Link…
In an interview with The Vancouver Sun, Layton attacked Conservative leader Stephen Harper’s plans for reducing waiting times.
“I have studied Mr. Harper’s plan and I don’t see any proposals there as to actually how he is going to reduce them,” Layton said.
“He’s simply said ‘they shall be reduced’ as though the Red Sea shall part because he has said so,” he added.
Sounds kind of like Mr. Layton’s plan to come up with money to support his proposed health care plan…. Magic! Link…
CTV News is reporting that given a recent question, the Conservatives and NDP are (obviously) showing a split on a health care issues. When asked if their wives needed hip replacement surgery and had the option to go to a private clinic, Stephen Harper and Jack Layton responded as follows:
Jack Layton
Layton said he and his wife Olivia Chow, a candidate in Toronto’s downtown Trinity-Spadina riding, would rather suffer than go private.
“We would work for the public, for the system, because we believe in it,” he said.
Stephen Harper
Harper:Well, I’ll just say as a father and husband, you will do whatever you need to do to take care of your family
Warren: You would have gone private?
Harper: If that’s what I had to do.
Again, nothing surprising here considering their party’s platform view on health care. Link…