… is Jack Layton. So says the new radio spots the New Democratic Party plans to begin airing today.
One spot argues that everyday families were “counting on Michael Ignatieff” to stand up to Stephen Harper but “he failed” in his first test as Liberal Leader. Now, “Jack Layton's the only leader strong enough to stand up to Harper and get us through this economic crisis,” a female announcer says.
Layton, of course, and a handful of other NDP MPs would have been ministers in a Liberal-led government had Ignatieff decided to choose a coalition government instead of Flaherty's budget.
The NDP says these ads will air in parts of the country where they found electoral success last fall and in parts where they believe they can pick up seats in the next election. So, I'm sorry, Western Canada, you're not going to hear them on the radio but you can check them out on the NDP's Web site. For those of you in Northern Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, South Western Ontario, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver — keep your ears open when listening to the radio.
Meanwhile, I can tell you that the Conservatives this morning were continuing to air their radio spots attacking the idea of a coalition government. Heard one on the radio on the way in to work this morning.
I don't know why Jack is wasting the NDP's time and money. Anywhere I go, Jack is being trashed by people who think he's:
1) a joke
2) just bitter
3) only after a cabinet seat
4) completely out of touch with Canadians
Personally, I'm inclined to all 4, but mostly 1 and 2. Jack just doesn't get it. He pontificates about what Canadians want and feel and believe ad nauseum, but he fails to see that he and his party only make up less than 20% of the entire country! That's 80% that think he's wrong. He is by no means an authority on Canadian wants and desires.
I find him smarmy, self-righteous, arrogant and deaf to anything other than his own voice.
Jack needs a reality check, and he's getting it right now, but as usual, he's not listening.
I kind of have to agree with Sean on this one. It's hard to believe that “standing up to Harper” is the message that will win over, you know, the millions who voted for Harper. Jack is really short on substance, and it's showing.
I agree with both gentlemen above. And the people who voted NDP should be reminded that Jack Layton was ready to exchange his so-called principled policy position on three points:
• to bring back our troops from Afghanistan immediately, whereas the Liberals agreed to keep them there until 2011.
• to keep corporate taxes at present levels, whereas the Liberals favour some tax cuts, although their position on that is in a state of flux.
• a cap and trade system rather than a carbon tax, as proposed by the Liberals.
Layton was ready to jettison those policy positions in exchange for six cabinet posts.
Jack Layton and his deputy leader Thomas Mulcair should also be admonished not to mislead the public on measures proposed by the government.
• In the November Economic Update, the proposal to suspend public service employees' right to strike was a temporary measure; the legislation would have suspended the right to strike on wages through 2010–11. But the NDP portrayed it as a permanent measure.
• The same applies to the issue of pay equity for women. The NDP makes it sound like the Conservatives oppose it, whereas in actual fact, the government wants to incorporate the question of pay equity into the contract negotiation process rather than addressing it through costly long-drawn litigation procedures.
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2009/plan/bpc4-eng.asp#6
“The existing complaint-based pay equity regime is a lengthy, costly and adversarial process that does not serve employees or employers well. Legislation to modernize the pay equity regime for federal public sector employees will be introduced. The new regime reflects the Government’s commitment to pay equity. It will ensure that the employer and bargaining agents are jointly responsible and accountable for negotiating salaries that are fair and equitable to all employees.”