Haldimand "Federal Election 2008 Layton's Misguided Plan according to Dion"

This is a press release from Eric Hoskins election site.

October 6, 2008

Canadians need centrist Liberal Party, not Jack Layton's misguided plan

VICTORIA – NDP Leader Jack Layton has abandoned working Canadians with his plan to impose a job-killing $50-billion tax hike on businesses, said Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said today.

“Canadians want to get rid of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and replace it with a party that has a real plan for jobs, our cities and the economy – not the wishful thinking of Mr. Layton, who does not understand balancing budgets or keeping taxes low,” said Mr. Dion.“We need real change, not false hope or misguided economic plans, especially in these times of financial uncertainty.

The only way to ensure that our businesses will be spared Mr. Layton’s $50-billion tax increase and Mr. Harper’s ideologically-driven hands-off approach to the economic crisis is to vote Liberal. The only job that will be saved by voting for Mr. Layton is Stephen Harper’s.”Mr. Dion reiterated his contention that only the Liberal Party represents the moderate, centrist approach that this country needs.

“A new Liberal government will be there to help Canadians when there are economic storm clouds, with a plan for the economy and an independent voice on the world stage,” he said.“A Liberal government in Canada can deliver a stronger economy, balanced budgets, stronger social programs and more help for families, working Canadians, cities and newcomers.”

Mr. Harper’s failure to present Canadians with any kind of plan in the face of the global economic crisis provides yet another example of how he places his ideology ahead of the best interests of Canadians. He continues to deny the existence of a problem and dismisses the concerns of Canadians as panic.

“More than ever we can see that this election presents a stark choice between the laissez-faire approach of the Conservatives who don’t believe in a role for government and the progressive policies of the Liberal Party and our plan for government to work as a partner with the Canadian people in these difficult times,” said Mr. Dion. Mr. Dion pointed out the only reason why Stephen Harper is in power today is because of Jack Layton and the NDP.

He reminded Canadians that when Mr. Layton voted to dissolve Parliament in 2004, he voted to kill some of the most progressive legislation in years, including the Kelowna Accord, the national early learning and child care agreements and the 10-year Plan to Strengthen Health Care.“Because of Mr. Layton’s self-serving agenda, we ended up with a Harper-Bush government, and Canadians still lack a national daycare program, reconciliation with our First Nations, fair treatment for newcomers, and a real plan for the coming difficult economic times,” said Mr. Dion.

“The real strategic vote in this election is to get rid of the Harper government and replace it with a party that has a proven record of cleaning up conservative messes while remaining true to progressive values –and only the Liberal Party can do that.”
http://erichoskins.liberal.ca/p2653_e.aspx