VICTORIA – On January 23, Canadians will finally be able to hold the Liberals accountable – accountable for stolen money, broken trust, and for all that did not get done because Paul Martin’s government has been totally preoccupied with damage control. They’ve simply lurched from one scandal to another always trying to avoid the people’s verdict.
For those Canadians seeking accountability, the question is clear: Which party can deliver the change of government that’s needed to ensure the culture of entitlement is ended and political accountability is brought to Ottawa?
The Conservative Party is the only party that can provide such accountability. Stephen Harper made several significant policy announcements in the first week of the campaign which show that he is the only leader to provide a clear and positive vision for Canada.
The Conservative leader kicked off the week in Québec by announcing that a Conservative government will create an arm’s-length, independent office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. “Politicians should not be accountable to politicians, and government should not be accountable to itself,” Mr. Harper said after listing examples where the Liberals failed to hold Liberals to account for their actions. “No longer will the Attorney General face the conflict of deciding matters involving his own Cabinet colleagues or his own party.”
In Ontario, Mr. Harper announced a plan to immediately reduce the GST by one percentage point, followed by an additional one percentage point in the next five years – a visible move that will result in immediate savings for all ordinary Canadian families. In the prairies, he then announced that the Conservatives would establish a Patient Wait Times Guarantee to ensure that all Canadians receive medical treatment within set benchmarks. People should not be forced to sit and suffer due to Liberal neglect, explained the Conservative leader.
In British Columbia, Mr. Harper confirmed his party’s commitment to stand up for safe streets, schools, and communities by announcing that a Conservative government will get tough on those involved in producing, importing/exporting, and trafficking highly addictive drugs. “Those involved in these types of offences need to realize that this is a serious crime and as a consequence they will do serious time,” said Mr. Harper. “I am committed to ensuring our children have safe streets to play on, and a Conservative government will settle for nothing less.”
This first week of the campaign clearly shows that Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party are the only ones standing up for Canada.
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For further information: Conservative Party Press Office: (613) 755-2191
