KURTENBACH: Canada's Prime Minister

[Oscar]

Canada’s Prime Minister

October 6, 2015

To the Editor,

Needless to say, most Canadians know that October 19th. will be one of the most important elections ever held in Canada. Nation-wide polls indicate that any one of the three main political parties could form the next government.

Under our present [first past the post] voting system, we've had a Harper Conservative government for nearly 10 years and for the last election, they received that mandate with about 39 per cent of Canada's voters! Not much of a democracy!

To make matters worse, Prime Minister Harper is known as a top-down control freak, which is worrying Canadians. This was graphically expressed by the former Conservative Premier of Labrador and Newfoundland, Danny Williams, who was featured on CBC Prime Time News, [October 5th.,] when he bluntly stated, "Stephen Harper is a fraud".

On October 19, Harper, once again, strives to become our Prime Minister by "harping" on the economy and cutting taxes for the middle class and the wealthy. Maybe that is part of the old trickle theory, but we've never heard Harper speaking about the 3 million Canadians who live at or below the poverty line.

May I humbly suggest that, by cutting social programs and taxes to the wealthy, Harper hopes to endear himself to national and global corporations. Presently, our Prime Minister is "over the moon" about the wonders of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (TPP). Then, like John Baird, he will be rewarded by some corporation with an annual salary in the million dollar class, plus benefits and connection with the wealthy of our world.

It is interesting to note that, due to the provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA), our Government has been sued more than any other country in the world. And, yes, the fines are paid by Canadian taxpayers.

Leo Kurtenbach
915 Saskatchewan Cres. W.,
Saskatoon, SK S7M 0M7
Phone: 306.652.5129