Conservative Platform

[rustled]

Sure isn't anything in there for any Canadian senior!!!

Not true; Scheer has promised to increase the age amount.

And reducing the lowest tax rate from 15% to 13.75% will also be a big help.

As is the removal of GST from home heating.

As is the removal of the carbon tax.

Seems to me it will all add up to be genuinely helpful.

Some of the other policies are worth voting for, too, IMO. Not perfect, but all in all a platform I am comfortable supporting with my vote.

[Ka-El]

Life changing? I think not, but I'm sure it will help some people cope with all the cuts to services they are going to see. But, let's face it. A vote for the conservatives isn't exactly a vote for a paradigm shift to the better. It's a vote for the status quo, by people that see themselves above the fallout.

Homelessness, opioid crisis, property crime, education costs, seniors - meh, who cares? There's $300 of my own money being put on the table here.

The short-sightedness by the Cons and their supporters is incredible. Like teenagers with a brand new car who think they are going to save money by not getting oil changes. Like consumption taxes (in reverse), these tax cuts are going to benefit the wealthy far more than lower and middle income folk, and the cuts to services will cost disproportionately more.

[rustled]

The short-sightedness by the Cons and their supporters is incredible. Like teenagers with a brand new car who think they are going to save money by not getting oil changes. Like consumption taxes (in reverse), these tax cuts are going to benefit the wealthy far more than lower and middle income folk, and the cuts to services will cost disproportionately more.

What cuts to services can we expect in the coming years in order to service the debt the Liberals have promised us? Who will be most hurt by those cuts? Who is benefiting most from the Liberals' platform, in the short and the longer term?

Seems to me the Conservative platform is a far more sensible choice in the long run.

[Ka-El]

Seems to me the Conservative platform is a far more sensible choice in the long run.

Ask the kid with the new car how not getting oil changes worked out for him.

[Jmfva]

Seems to me the Conservative platform is a far more sensible choice in the long run.

Ask the kid with the new car how not getting oil changes worked out for him.

This is a great analogy.

[flamingfingers]

Not true; Scheer has promised to increase the age amount.

It's a tax credit - less than worthless to most.

Give me an increase in my OAP and Survivor's benefit - cash in my pocket - like Trudeau has promised!

[Drip_Torch]

What cuts to services can we expect in the coming years in order to service the debt the Liberals have promised us? Who will be most hurt by those cuts? Who is benefiting most from the Liberals' platform, in the short and the longer term?

Pssst, I think you're looking for the thread titled "Liberal Platform". I'm sure you'll find some very insightful analysis and commentary there.

[rustled]

What cuts to services can we expect in the coming years in order to service the debt the Liberals have promised us? Who will be most hurt by those cuts? Who is benefiting most from the Liberals' platform, in the short and the longer term?

Pssst, I think you're looking for the thread titled "Liberal Platform". I'm sure you'll find some very insightful analysis and commentary there.

Oh wow, a public scolding. Consider me well and truly told off.

Seriously, there is no free lunch. The Conservatives are realistic about spending more now = cuts later. To use the automobile analogy, buy the car we can afford, quit blowing money on fancy bling, and put our resources into maintaining it properly instead of assuming there will magically be plenty of money available to replace parts with at some magical future date,

[Drip_Torch]

Oh wow, a public scolding. Consider me well and truly told off.

Seriously, there is no free lunch. The Conservatives are realistic about spending more now = cuts later. To use the automobile analogy, buy the car we can afford, quit blowing money on fancy bling, and put our resources into maintaining it properly instead of assuming there will magically be plenty of money available to replace parts with at some magical future date,

Hardly a public scolding. Just a gentle reminder to stay on the topic of the conservative platform.

Ugh, I don't mean to be critical, especially since I may have already upset you,[ ] but are you sure you're not reading the platform upside down?

The conservative fiscal plan appears to take us about 10 billion or so, (what's a couple billion amongst friends) further into deficit now and counts on untold cuts in the future to get to a positive position? New spending 6 billion, new savings 6 billion. That looks like a wash to me - not "spending now".

Too much uncertainty there for my liking. 2024, for example, "new savings and revenue measures" of 20 billion dollars. What are the "new savings and revenue measures"? I'm not sure the shadow even knows, but who cares, we'll have another budget or three before then.

They can break the new fiscal reality to us gently - like they always do.

"Magical future date" - yeah, you got that right. There's definitely an element of magic in this Fiscal Plan. Somehow, taking on an additional debt of around 10 billion dollars, seems fiscally conservative to the conservative supporters. I suspect that must be voodoo or something.

[rustled]

Blessed is he who expecteth little, for he shall not be disappointed?

Seems to me the point is for the electorate who cares about more than appearances and vacuous promises and muckraking and muck-slinging and smearing and dirty campaigns to support the platform that most closely represents what we believe in. In my case, that's moderately progressive governance, sustainable over the long term.

This Conservative platform fits the bill for me. They are obviously far more committed than other parties to balancing the budget as quickly as possible, which is what our household and the family businesses have always had to do to make sure there was money for future maintenance, growth and improvements.

My family has always understood there is no money tree. My family has always understood blowing up our debt during relatively good economic times is worse than irresponsible because it means there's nothing extra when we need it, and paying interest is seldom the best use of our resources.

My family has always understood budgets do NOT balance themselves, and I would like to see all parties support the initiatives on page 89 to prevent future governments from blowing up the deficit.

We have always understood accountability means accounting. Quoting directly from the Conservative platform, page 94:

... the PBO noted: “Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Government’s $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist” (emphasis added).

• In 2019, Infrastructure Canada told the PBO that “the federal government does not have a framework to identify the incremental effect of the [Investing in Canada Plan] on capital spending from lower levels of government.” In other words, the federal government is unable to determine the impact that its spending is having on actually getting infrastructure built.
  
• Furthermore, as part of this costing process, the PBO reached out to the Department of Infrastructure to request a list of all specific infrastructure projects funded by the government. They were unable to answer.

This lack of accountability, and the lack of expectation of accountability, is a significant problem for me. Voodoo to me is when the money we entrust to the government just disappears into a black hole and we have nothing to show for it.

Others are of course free to expect very little accountability from our government, as many clearly do, and to predict whatever they wish as may suit their purposes vis a vis the Conservative platform, to criticize whatever in it they wish while condoning and excusing whatever they wish.

Me, I appreciate that this platform does include a commitment to balance the budget within five years, and a commitment to ensure all future governments are fiscally responsible, and I for one fully expect the Conservatives to live up to these commitments.

[flamingfingers]

Me, I appreciate that this platform does include a commitment to balance the budget within five years, and a commitment to ensure all future governments are fiscally responsible, and I for one fully expect the Conservatives to live up to these commitments.

'Five years"... if he gets a mandate this election AND wins the subsequent election. Smooth move Scheer!!

[Veovis]

'Five years"... if he gets a mandate this election AND wins the subsequent election. Smooth move Scheer!!

Justin said he'd do 10 bil deficits but did 20-30 but yet balance the budget this year.......why do you not call him out on that?

I believed Justin might just do a short term last time for a long term benefit, instead we see corruption with a long term massive overspend for personal gains. A cut government might not be a bad thing.

[The Green Barbarian]

Pssst, I think you're looking for the thread titled "Liberal Platform". I'm sure you'll find some very insightful analysis and commentary there.

Nope

[rustled]

Me, I appreciate that this platform does include a commitment to balance the budget within five years, and a commitment to ensure all future governments are fiscally responsible, and I for one fully expect the Conservatives to live up to these commitments.

'Five years"... if he gets a mandate this election AND wins the subsequent election. Smooth move Scheer!!

It's interesting to me what you chose to highlight and what you chose to ignore. I've used colour to emphasize the difference.

flamingfingers, you do not have to expect Scheer to live up to any of his commitments. I always expect the people I vote for to live up to their commitments, barring new information and unforeseen circumstances that genuinely prevent sincere efforts.

And that would certainly include leaving the Canadian economy in good enough shape for any subsequent party forming government to be able to balance the budget in the fifth year.

I would expect no less from any party forming government, but most particularly from the one I support with my vote.

[floppi]

How is that possible when the guy that is the leader of the party has to lie on his resume about who he is and then lies through omission about his citizenship? He's been lying throughout the campaign to boot so now he gets a pass on his platform? That's being pretty naive and gullible.