Let’s hope the next election involves debate on urgent policy matters

As we approach the fall of 2021, there are many signs that Canadians will be going to the polls shortly in a federal election.

If this does turn out to be the case, let us hope that this election involves debates and/or discussions of urgent policy matters as opposed to the “vacuous drivel” of attack ads and culture wars.

The economy. The first such matter that should be vigorously debated is the economy and in particular the deficit and national debt. I cannot think of any respected economist who would have disagreed with the federal government running deficits and adding to the national debt in order to support Canadians during the ongoing pandemic.

That being said, we need to ask all the parties what is their detailed plan to balance the federal budget and begin paying down the accumulated debt of the last 16 or so months. As part of this, we need to demand hard numbers.

Remember that in business we have a saying: “If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist.”

Let’s insist our leaders give us detailed metrics that they can be held accountable to.

Canada’s treatment of First Nations people. Since May 2021, Canadians from coast to coast have been staggered by the news of unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools. We have been hearing vague platitudes from our leaders as to reconciliation with First Nations people, but no definite plans. So, we as voters must demand details. What exactly is the plan to achieve true reconciliation and what date can we look forward to this beginning and being completed?

As a suggestion, how about a constitutional convention to be convened to focus on First Nations issues? It’s time our constitution and legislation reflected First Nations people’s founding status.

As well, should the federal Official Languages Act not be amended to include Indigenous languages?

Automation. As technology improves, we see more and more jobs previously done by people being automated. Think about the automated checkouts we see in grocery stores or the robots now working on assembly lines.

This automation makes sense as robots and computers don’t call in sick, demand increases, get injured at work, etc. But what about the people who did these jobs? It is easy to brush them off and simply say “you need to be better educated or skilled to work in the modern economy.” What is the plan for these people? Are we to simply abandon them to minimum wage jobs that don’t pay enough to survive on?

Social programs. Finally, we need to have an honest discussion about our social programs. The pandemic made it very clear that programs such as Employment Insurance and various welfare programs did not meet the needs of our modern economy.

So what is the plan for how to revamp these programs and how will we pay for them? This should in turn lead to an honest discussion on taxation.

One cannot have world-class social programs without the revenue to pay for them. Continuing to fund essential programs through debt simply hurts future generations.

We need to do better than that.

As it appears that we will go to the polls soon, let us demand our political leaders forgo political talking points and vague platitudes and talk hard, cold numbers and details.

We owe ourselves and future generations exactly that.