Politicians should put Canada first

We thought we got rid of Harper. Guess again. Recently the Conservative right selected Harper soft, Harper sweet, candied Harper. Conservative candidates announced they were still on Harper’s agenda, but kinder, gentler.

It’s not about what Canadians want — all that messy expensive democratic stuff like health care, social programs and the environment. It is all about corporate globalization, free trade, what the CEOs and foreign investors want: profits from subsidized privatization. They plan to use fluffy words to put us back to sleep, hypnotize us with meaningless rhetoric.

Do Canadians really want foreign investors to own our country? Do we want more jobs and development that pleases shareholders from offshore? Do we want expensive CEOs to run takeovers and laying off tens of thousands of workers, then escape without paying taxes on their overblown bonuses? If we want the stable Canadian economy back we need a new electoral system that makes every MP accountable to our voters, not a party, not a lobby group, not a think tank, and definitely not the president of another country.

If Canadians want to be free and successful, we need to stand up to the right-wing fantasy of privatization (for the rich), guaranteed profits (for foreign investors), and the free market free ride, tax free BS from the U.S. spillover agenda. Our media could show us better examples of countries that have found other options, more tuned to equality among our people.

The American example is not the only, nor might some suggest, the best system for citizens to choose. Tiny countries like Finland better educate themselves, Norway better at finance for the benefit of all their people, Iceland for democratic gender equality, and Germany for better worker/manager cooperation. Why do Canadian politicians believe we must harmonize with the worst example of democratic government?

Think Canada first.

Don Ryane

Lethbridge