stephen harper speaks to a full crowd at the Westerly Hotel in Courtenay. Photo by erin haluschak
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By Erin Haluschak - Comox Valley Record
Published: September 25, 2008 6:00 PM
Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised military, environmental, and family support in addition to slamming the NDP’s record of inaction while in Courtenay on Wednesday.
Harper used the stop at the Westerly Hotel to showcase his party’s record of accomplishment for the North Island, which includes infrastructure upgrades for 19 Wing, investments in the Comox Valley water supply, expanding and developing Port McNeill’s waterfront and six new Coast Guard vessels.
“Today, when Canada speaks to the other countries of the world, we speak with consistency, conviction and the capability of acting,” said Harper. “These achievements have been built on a foundation of strong economic management ... we promised, we acted and we delivered.”
His campaign speech supported Vancouver Island North candidate John Duncan, who is trying to unseat NDP incumbent Catherine Bell.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister highlighted his five-year, $113-million dollar plan to protect the environment, which he stressed again during his speech.
“We will dramatically increase penalties for serious polluters, we will establish a team of specialized environmental prosecutors to bring offenders to justice and we will ensure that the names of corporations convicted of environmental crimes are put on the public record.”
Harper assured that his government would also continue to lower taxes, support families through banning tobacco marketing to children and adjusting parental leave benefits in addition to moving forward with military support.
Using these issues as a platform to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the NDP government, Harper noted, “Remember when we cut the GST? It wasn’t just the Liberals who voted against that —the Ottawa NDP voted against it not once, but twice.”
He said that the NDP voted against tax measures to support both families and small businesses, and the Conservative’s $100 dollar-a-month child care benefit.
“Friends, the Ottawa NDP are simply out of touch with B.C.. They would take this economy and this country in exactly the same direction as would the Liberals. And what’s worse, they’ve even said so,” he added.
Harper admitted that the country is not perfect, but is on the right track, and that stable campaign promises and delivery on those promises is what sets the Conservatives apart.
“Our party isn’t proposing to fly off in some wild, new direction. The plan we unveil in this campaign will hold to the course we have set ... we will keep a steady hand on the wheel.”
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
