THE HATS ARE ON, THE GLOVES ARE OFF
The leaders of Canada’s major parties came suitably attired for the Calgary Stampede on Friday, and just as prepared for a summer of heavy politicking. Opening topic? The sagging economy.
Canada’s opposition leaders have blasted Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government for failed economic policies that have put the country on the precipice of another possible recession.
But Harper urged patience Friday, predicting that Alberta’s oil sector will “bounce back.”
The sharp criticism came from NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Justin Trudeau who, like Harper, attended the opening parade of the annual Calgary Stampede.
All three leaders are launching an intense summer of politicking in the lead-up to a scheduled Oct. 19 federal election.
Suddenly, the sagging economy has emerged as an explosive issue.
Canada’s economy has shrunk for four straight months for the first time since the last recession in 2008-2009. The economic contraction is due in large part to plummeting oil prices that have walloped the rest of the country’s economy.
Speaking to reporters from his seat in the bleachers at the Stampede Parade, Mulcair was highly critical of Harper’s economic record.
“We want a more diversified economy. Under Mr. Harper’s watch, we’ve lost 400,000 wellpaid manufacturing jobs.”
In reference to the Conservative government’s reliance on the oil sector for economic growth, Mulcair said: “We’ve put all our eggs in the same basket. And when the inevitable cycle occurred, everybody was hurt.”
Trudeau was equally critical, saying that while Canadians can be assured they have “strong fundamentals” in their economy such as natural resources and a strong workforce, Harper’s government doesn’t know how to strike the right economic balance.
“For 10 years we’ve had a government that hasn’t understood the way to build and to diversify our economy,” said Trudeau.
“The fact is they’re still trying to pit the environment against the economy, when we know in terms of investing in clean technology, and in terms of exporting our resources responsibly, they need to go together.”
But in two brief TV interviews from the sidelines of the Stampede parade that attracted thousands of people under sunny skies, Harper projected confidence about the economy.
Harper said he understood that people had experienced big “change” this year because of “what’s happened with the oil price and the slowdown in the economy.”
He added, however: “I’ve been in this province for 36 years now. I’ve seen a lot worse dips in the oil sector than this. And I’m very confident the city and the province will bounce back quickly.”
Canadians will learn at the end of August — when data is released on the GDP for the year’s second quarter — if the country is in a technical recession.
But this week, an economist with Bank of America Merrill Lynch said that the economy has indeed shrunk in that quarter and that the Canadian dollar appears destined to drop to under 77 cents U.S. by the end of the year.
Mulcair, whose party is leading in the public opinion polls three months before the election campaign, said an NDP government would build a “stronger economy” for the country’s future.
“Stop leaving a huge economic and ecological debt on the backs of future generations. Start building a more hopeful Canada for the future.”
Mulcair said the governing Conservatives have falsely claimed they are strong economic managers.
“It’s always been one of their trademarks — to talk a good game with regard to the economy.”
“So those aren’t good jobs. That’s not a job with enough of a salary for a family to live on. And that’s distressing. So we’ve got to get back to a Canada where we have well paid jobs.”
The three party leaders are in Calgary in the wake of a major change to the province’s political landscape. On May 5, the governing Progressive Conservatives were defeated after decades in power and replaced by an NDP majority government led Rachel Notley.