BC FORUM News

Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) recommends to vote for honesty and truth in government

Friends,

We will soon be going to the polls again to elect a federal government to represent the interests of Canadians, we as seniors, like all Canadians have a vested interest in the outcome.

This election presents a clear choice for Canadians.

Do we want a government that represents the best values of Canadians? Honestly, caring for one another, cooperation, integrity, respect for democracy and our democratic institutions and equality of access to education, the legal process and quality health care, and finally retirement income security.

Or do we wish to continue the status quo, of a government that has for the past 5 years demonstrated that it has little respect for the truth, has time and time again shown utter contempt for parliament and a functioning democracy, has frustrated the workings of parliaments committee's, has ignored the abuse of the Canada Health Act, and failed to address the impending retirement income security crisis?

Let us be clear about why we are having this election.

For the first time in Canadian parliamentary history a sitting government has been found in contempt of parliament and lost the confidence of the members of the house to govern.  Why? Let's remember that 4 years ago the government failed to provide information on the transfer of captured Afghani prisoners from Canadian troops to the Afghani authorities despite the knowledge that they were likely to be tortured, against our own and international laws and placing our troops in the extraordinarily dangerous position of being treated similarly if captured.  This issue is still before the courts where government lawyers continue to obstruct and obfuscate.  One must ask what they have to hide.

Remember that this government on two occasions prorogued parliament to avoid non confidence votes in the house so as to avoid being defeated.  The leader of the federal conservative party attempts to suggest that coalition governments are illegal and illegitimate and not in the British parliamentary traditions, when in fact there have been coalition governments throughout history and currently exist in Britain and Australia. At the very least he is playing fast and loose with the truth.

This is a government who, ran on a platform of open and accountable government and then tries to hinder behind the most thinnest of veils by alleging cabinet confidentiality as the reason for not providing sufficient and honest information on the cost of it's so called crime bill (building new jails to house the unreported criminals, according to Stockwell Day) or the cost to Canadians of corporate tax cuts to very rich profitable banks and international corporations, or the true cost of single source fighter jets. Arms length watchdogs of both the Canadian and American governments put the cost of each jet at almost double the government's stated figures.

This is a government which has engaged in alleged election fraud, currently charged but not prosecuted are some of the top advisors to the PMO and include a current conservative senator.  This is a government that ran on a platform to change to an elected senate, but instead has appointed more unelected senators than any previous government.

This is a government that has avoided it's responsibilities under the Canada Health Act by not prosecuting alleged violations of fee gouging and requiring fees to be paid by private health facilities when in fact the act prohibits such extra billing.

This is a government that publicly supported, along with 8 provinces the modest expansion over time of the Canada Pension Plan and the Quebec Pension Plan over time until only two days before the meeting of finance ministers in Kananaskis last December then reneged and offered up a private sector option that is no solution, but does provide great opportunity to banks and insurance companies to make huge commissions and fees off the backs of future retirees.

The choice is clear, vote on May 2nd for the honesty and truth in government.

On behalf of the Canadian SOAR Executive.

In solidarity,

Doug Macpherson, National Coordinator