The longest Canadian election campaign is over. The Canadian
electorate chose to elect a Liberal government after ten years of Harper’s
Conservative rule. There is no doubt that Trudeau played a masterful hand and
won. While many will analyze the results and arrive at different conclusions,
in my view there are three particulars that can explain the result and give us
a look into the future. They are change, chaos, and possible catastrophe.
Change
So Canada voted for change; but from what? Lower taxes, less government spending and the
preservation of Canadian values? For many younger Canadians it was the
environment. But the facts have been ignored in every case. Lower taxes gave
Canadians the choice of spending their money as they saw fit. Government
programs are not the answer to many of our problems we need different ways of
providing services. As for the environment, many ignore that the Oil Sands
account for 8.5% of Canada’s GHG and 0.12% of annual global emissions. Signing
a treaty does not automatically mean that implementing it is easy. Promising
change is easy; implementing it is not and more notably based on many promises
made by the Liberals. It will costs a lot and creates deficits – the only
promise that will be kept. Canadians will see the disappearance of income
splitting and the reduction of the TFSA annual contribution limit among many
other policies. In fact the middle class will see very few real gains.
So now that we have change was the election really about
policies or was it about Harper? His policies were sound but his character had
been damaged by the media for so long that many Canadians viewed the election
as a change in leadership style rather than the direction of the country. In
the campaign he rarely connected with the people, and he never showed passion
in support of his record...
Chaos
As from October 20th 2015, Canada will have to
live with a new government for at least another four years. The biggest problem
will be to fulfill all the promises. Can Canada afford the costs of the
promises? Or shall we be witnessing a slew of government programs that pick
winners and losers. The biggest promise will be to The First Nations. Any
additional spending without clear transparency and accountability will bear no
fruit.
With a global economy in stagnation and the world’s security
under attack virtually every day, it is not too far fetch to see chaos on the
horizon. The first international foray for the new government will be the
Climate Conference in Paris. How will any agreement affect Canadians now that
we do not have a PM who would defend Canada’s oil industry? If we accept the
proposed agenda without conditions, Canadians will see a gradual increase in
the costs of goods and taxes and further restrictions on Alberta’s economy.
Catastrophe
The Middle East is on fire. How will this government react
to threats from terrorism? Aligning Canada with Obama’s foreign policies will
create more problems than solutions. Remember that Obama will be gone in just
over a year. Furthermore going back to collaborating with a dysfunctional United
Nations, especially on the refugee problem, without a clear strategy may result
in an open door policy that may bring sleeper cells to our shores? These are
not just issues based on paranoia; they are real considerations that this
government will have to consider. For those who accuse many conservatives of
intolerance, they confuse compassion with a lack of assimilation in our
immigration policies. As an immigrant I appreciate the values of a Canadian
society but I am not blind to the threat coming from terrorism based in a sick
ideology that demands vigilance. Lest we forget what has already happened in
the past.
While I am disappointed in the final results of the
elections, I accept the will of the people. Conservatives must look at the
future with optimism. Harper created the foundation for conservative policies.
We have just lost the battle but the final days are a long way off.
The party must choose a new leader; one who is more
approachable, one that can match the so-called charismatic personality of
Justin Trudeau. A younger leader, possibly a woman, would be a great choice to
bring the Conservative party of Canada in the 21st century. The new
leadership must attract ‘millennials’ by making sure that the message is not
lost on the internet garble but through direct communication of conservative
principles.Most importantly the Conservative party must compromise on
process and procedures, but never compromise on principles.
During the next
four years elected Conservative members should embrace this quote by Napoleon
Bonaparte: “You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him
all your art of war.”
