Haldimand "Federal Election 2008 Promises"

Well it is the end of week one on the campaign trail. The following is a list of "promises" from each party. I had a good snicker at a few of them, you judge for yourself. At least I found out more information on the Liberals "Greenshift Plan", and where some of the money is going.


List of promises in the 2008 federal election campaign
Updated Sat. Sep. 13 2008 3:22 PM ET
The Canadian Press

OTTAWA -- Promises so far in the federal election campaign, with projected costs where applicable and available:

Conservatives

A two-cent-per-litre tax cut on diesel and aviation fuel over four years; projected to cost $600 million a year, fully implemented.

Reinstate benefits for Second World War veterans who have lived in Canada for more than 10 years; $9 million a year.

Put the recognition of foreign skills credentials for immigrants on the agenda of the next first ministers' conference.

A near-complete withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan in 2011.

Ease foreign ownership restrictions on Canadian firms by: more than tripling the threshold for foreign investment reviews to $1 billion; increasing the allowed level of foreign investment in airlines to 49 per cent from the current 25; allowing foreign companies to own Canadian uranium mines.

Greens

Tackle poverty with a Guaranteed Livable Income supplement; make locally grown organic produce more readily available to food banks. No costs provided.

A national student loan program that would forgive half the loan for those who get a degree or certificate. No costs provided.

More money for post-secondary institutions and research grants for institutions that focus on renewable energy and conservation. No costs provided.

Gradually shift consumption taxes on to products and services such as fossil fuels and toxic chemicals that harm people and the environment; reduce taxes on income, products and economic activities that do no harm. No cost provided.

Cut the corporate tax by $50 for each tonne of carbon-emission reductions, to create a $100-a-tonne saving when combined with avoided carbon tax. No cost provided.

Work to keep small communities viable by ensuring innovation and green business-development opportunities.

Reduce the paperwork burden on small business by eliminating duplicate tax filings and red tape. It would offer incentives to make industrial buildings more energy efficient.

Require manufactured goods, including vehicles, to be designed for easy re-use and-or recycling and to contain 90-per-cent recycled materials by 2025.

Require all appliance and equipment retailers to accept and recycle or repair goods they have sold, and help industry establish a national deposit and recycling system.

Liberals

A ban on semi-automatic assault rifles outside of the military.

A "Green Shift" carbon tax on fossil fuels to cut emissions, offset by income and business tax cuts, green-energy and conservation investments.

Add $350 to the $1,200-a-year child-care allowance. Low-income families would also receive another payment of up to $1,225 a year. "Costs paid for with carbon tax".

Restore the Court Challenges Program to help defray the cost of Charter challenges, doubling budget to $6 million a year.

$50 million to upgrade Canada's food safety system.

$600 million in energy retrofit tax breaks: up to $10,000 in tax breaks for home retrofits and another $10,000 in interest-free "green mortgages" to help homeowners fund the projects.
Beef up Canadian building code standards for energy efficiency; set tough new standards for home appliances.

NDP

A moratorium on expanding Alberta's tarsands and requiring oil companies to reclaim land strip mined for petroleum production.

$8.2 billion over four years to create, protect and foster growth of "green-collar" jobs and manufacturing.

A "cap-and-trade" system to create incentives for big business to reduce their emissions.
Slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

A price-monitoring agency to investigate fuel price spikes and consult with provinces about regulations.

Capping credit-card interest rates at five per cent over prime.

Outlawing automated banking machine fees, which the party claims would save consumers at least $104 per year.

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