Hipster
2018-06-12 22:36:46 UTC
It has been more than a year since Canadians voted in a federal election
to grant Justin Trudeau a majority government, after one of the longest
federal election cycles in modern Canadian history.
Trudeau's overwhelming support came from a message that revolved around
"change." His campaign made a plethora of campaign promises, offering a
fresh face, new ideas and the promise of transparency for the Liberal
platform.
Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and
Canadians are taking notice. A recent poll has shown the Liberal
government's approval rating dropping a staggering nine points to 42 per
cent, from a November poll which had Liberal support at 51 per cent.
Trudeau, once elected, released a document titled Open and Accountable
Government, which detailed the ways in which the Liberal government would
operate and maintain transparency. Trudeau is quoted in a news release as
saying "We will uphold the highest standards of integrity and impartiality
both in our public and private affairs."
Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and
Canadians are taking notice.
Trudeau disregards his promises on ethics and transparency
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party have been under scrutiny regarding
their multiple "cash-for-access" fundraisers. Cash for access can be
described as providing money directly to a foundation or individual for
meetings with high-ranking government officials, which could lead to a
number of conflicts of interest.
The Liberals held a $1,500 cash-for-access fundraiser at a wealthy
Chinese-Canadian business executive's mansion in May. In attendance was
Chinese businessman Zhang Bin, who along with a partner donated $1 million
to the Trudeau foundation and the University of Montreal Faculty of Law
not long after the event. Bin is an adviser to the Chinese government and
a state network which promotes Chinese interests around the world.
At this high-profile event were a number of Chinese billionaires,
including insurance tycoon Shenglin Xian, who founded Wealth One Bank of
Canada. This fundraiser had been at an opportune moment, as Xian had been
waiting for approval from federal bank regulators for his Schedule 1 bank
to start operations in Canada.
Since Schedule 1 banks are domestic, they may receive deposits within
Canada. As of July, the Liberal government has approved this bank, which
opened branches in multiple cities across Canada.
Such cash-for-access events go against the ethical guidelines and
standards of conduct outlined by Trudeau when elected. A section of
Trudeau's guidelines states that "There should be no preferential access
to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to
individuals or organizations because they have made financial
contributions to politicians and political parties."
The Liberals voted down a motion from the Conservatives, supported by the
NDP, to transfer the Liberals ethics rules on lobbying and fundraising to
the ethics commissioner Mary Dawson. The intent of this motion was to
prevent potential conflicts of interest in government and stop cash-for-
access events in Canadian politics while upholding Trudeau's own promise
for a transparency in government.
This scandal has shown a complete disregard for Canadian campaign finance
laws, while the wealthy and lobbyists continue to erode democracy.
Broken promises will impact the economy
The Canadian economy has seen sluggish growth since the election, which
has not been helped by terrible fiscal policy by the Liberal government.
Trudeau had promised, once elected, to run consecutive deficits for three
years. This campaign promise explicitly stated that these "small" yearly
deficits would not exceed $10 billion a year.
The Liberals' plan to run yearly deficits was made in tandem with an
election promise to balance the budget by 2019-2020. The Liberals first
tabled budget deficit is estimated to accumulate to a staggering $30
billion, a significant increase for the Canadian economy, especially with
the loonie struggling and low oil prices.
How can such a fiscally irresponsible government grow the Canadian economy
at such levels to meet these targets? They cannot, with recent budget
forecasts for 2019 predicting an $18-billion deficit, and a $14-billion
deficit in 2020.
Trudeau also promised middle-class tax cuts to be paid for by tax hikes
for higher incomes. Such tax changes were promised to be revenue neutral,
meaning they would not cost the Canadian public additional tax dollars.
Bill Morneau and the Liberal government again showed their inability to
keep their word, as it is now being reported that these tax changes are
actually going to leave the government short $1.2 billion.
Such short-sighted policies will lead to either large tax increases or
large government cuts in the near future.
The current lack of budget control and accountability will leave Canadians
with an unmanageable level of debt. With large deficits being predicted
past the next election -- and growth not likely to reach the Liberal
government's predictions -- it is likely such short-sighted policies will
lead to either large tax increases or large government cuts in the near
future.
In 1972, when Pierre Trudeau started running similar deficits without
proper consideration for their long-term effects, it took a quarter
century to get out of deficit spending through the largest downsizing in
Canadian history under the Chretien and Martin Liberal governments.
The Conservatives warned that the Liberals' deficit spending would turn
into massive and permanent debt.
The chief economist at Scotiabank, Jean-Francois Perrault, has been quoted
as saying the Liberals have been far too overconfident in their
projections of how their budget will impact growth.
What is even more alarming is how Canada will compete with its neighbours
and draw investment with the election of Donald Trump south of the border.
Trump has pledged to remove regulation in most sectors in the U.S. economy
-- how can Canada compete when the Liberal government is not allowing
Canada to be competitive with policies like an increased carbon tax? Such
a carbon tax will "shift emissions and jobs to the U.S., helping neither
our economy nor the environment."
Additional broken campaign promises
Trudeau and the Liberals constantly made campaign promises on electoral
reform, assuring Canadians that the 2015 election would be the last under
the ineffective first past the post system. The All Party Committee on
Electoral Reform submitted their report suggesting the vast majority of
Canadians and experts supported a proportional representation system. Yet
the Liberal government has insisted on backing away from initial promises
for reform in the press and interviews.
The Liberal party has a history of fiscal irresponsibility and running
large deficits, but this Liberal government has started a trend of
breaking major campaign promises. As the polls suggest in the first year
under a Trudeau Liberal majority, scandals and irresponsible policy
decisions are not what the Canadian people signed up for.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/luke-rebello/justin-trudeau-broken-
promises_b_13900284.html
Justin Trudeau is the Barack Obama of Canada. This escapadeto grant Justin Trudeau a majority government, after one of the longest
federal election cycles in modern Canadian history.
Trudeau's overwhelming support came from a message that revolved around
"change." His campaign made a plethora of campaign promises, offering a
fresh face, new ideas and the promise of transparency for the Liberal
platform.
Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and
Canadians are taking notice. A recent poll has shown the Liberal
government's approval rating dropping a staggering nine points to 42 per
cent, from a November poll which had Liberal support at 51 per cent.
Trudeau, once elected, released a document titled Open and Accountable
Government, which detailed the ways in which the Liberal government would
operate and maintain transparency. Trudeau is quoted in a news release as
saying "We will uphold the highest standards of integrity and impartiality
both in our public and private affairs."
Trudeau's actions in government have not lived up to expectations, and
Canadians are taking notice.
Trudeau disregards his promises on ethics and transparency
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party have been under scrutiny regarding
their multiple "cash-for-access" fundraisers. Cash for access can be
described as providing money directly to a foundation or individual for
meetings with high-ranking government officials, which could lead to a
number of conflicts of interest.
The Liberals held a $1,500 cash-for-access fundraiser at a wealthy
Chinese-Canadian business executive's mansion in May. In attendance was
Chinese businessman Zhang Bin, who along with a partner donated $1 million
to the Trudeau foundation and the University of Montreal Faculty of Law
not long after the event. Bin is an adviser to the Chinese government and
a state network which promotes Chinese interests around the world.
At this high-profile event were a number of Chinese billionaires,
including insurance tycoon Shenglin Xian, who founded Wealth One Bank of
Canada. This fundraiser had been at an opportune moment, as Xian had been
waiting for approval from federal bank regulators for his Schedule 1 bank
to start operations in Canada.
Since Schedule 1 banks are domestic, they may receive deposits within
Canada. As of July, the Liberal government has approved this bank, which
opened branches in multiple cities across Canada.
Such cash-for-access events go against the ethical guidelines and
standards of conduct outlined by Trudeau when elected. A section of
Trudeau's guidelines states that "There should be no preferential access
to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to
individuals or organizations because they have made financial
contributions to politicians and political parties."
The Liberals voted down a motion from the Conservatives, supported by the
NDP, to transfer the Liberals ethics rules on lobbying and fundraising to
the ethics commissioner Mary Dawson. The intent of this motion was to
prevent potential conflicts of interest in government and stop cash-for-
access events in Canadian politics while upholding Trudeau's own promise
for a transparency in government.
This scandal has shown a complete disregard for Canadian campaign finance
laws, while the wealthy and lobbyists continue to erode democracy.
Broken promises will impact the economy
The Canadian economy has seen sluggish growth since the election, which
has not been helped by terrible fiscal policy by the Liberal government.
Trudeau had promised, once elected, to run consecutive deficits for three
years. This campaign promise explicitly stated that these "small" yearly
deficits would not exceed $10 billion a year.
The Liberals' plan to run yearly deficits was made in tandem with an
election promise to balance the budget by 2019-2020. The Liberals first
tabled budget deficit is estimated to accumulate to a staggering $30
billion, a significant increase for the Canadian economy, especially with
the loonie struggling and low oil prices.
How can such a fiscally irresponsible government grow the Canadian economy
at such levels to meet these targets? They cannot, with recent budget
forecasts for 2019 predicting an $18-billion deficit, and a $14-billion
deficit in 2020.
Trudeau also promised middle-class tax cuts to be paid for by tax hikes
for higher incomes. Such tax changes were promised to be revenue neutral,
meaning they would not cost the Canadian public additional tax dollars.
Bill Morneau and the Liberal government again showed their inability to
keep their word, as it is now being reported that these tax changes are
actually going to leave the government short $1.2 billion.
Such short-sighted policies will lead to either large tax increases or
large government cuts in the near future.
The current lack of budget control and accountability will leave Canadians
with an unmanageable level of debt. With large deficits being predicted
past the next election -- and growth not likely to reach the Liberal
government's predictions -- it is likely such short-sighted policies will
lead to either large tax increases or large government cuts in the near
future.
In 1972, when Pierre Trudeau started running similar deficits without
proper consideration for their long-term effects, it took a quarter
century to get out of deficit spending through the largest downsizing in
Canadian history under the Chretien and Martin Liberal governments.
The Conservatives warned that the Liberals' deficit spending would turn
into massive and permanent debt.
The chief economist at Scotiabank, Jean-Francois Perrault, has been quoted
as saying the Liberals have been far too overconfident in their
projections of how their budget will impact growth.
What is even more alarming is how Canada will compete with its neighbours
and draw investment with the election of Donald Trump south of the border.
Trump has pledged to remove regulation in most sectors in the U.S. economy
-- how can Canada compete when the Liberal government is not allowing
Canada to be competitive with policies like an increased carbon tax? Such
a carbon tax will "shift emissions and jobs to the U.S., helping neither
our economy nor the environment."
Additional broken campaign promises
Trudeau and the Liberals constantly made campaign promises on electoral
reform, assuring Canadians that the 2015 election would be the last under
the ineffective first past the post system. The All Party Committee on
Electoral Reform submitted their report suggesting the vast majority of
Canadians and experts supported a proportional representation system. Yet
the Liberal government has insisted on backing away from initial promises
for reform in the press and interviews.
The Liberal party has a history of fiscal irresponsibility and running
large deficits, but this Liberal government has started a trend of
breaking major campaign promises. As the polls suggest in the first year
under a Trudeau Liberal majority, scandals and irresponsible policy
decisions are not what the Canadian people signed up for.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/luke-rebello/justin-trudeau-broken-
promises_b_13900284.html
should be the nail in his political coffin.