Place blame where it is due

The late Mr. Flaherty, our minister of finance for some years, brought us through the 2008 recession, a bad one

I have questions about recessions, the 2008 one and the 2015 one.

The late Mr. Flaherty, our minister of finance for some years, brought us through the 2008 recession, a bad one, as best he could, and better than many other countries going through the same.

By 2014 we were doing well again. Could the Conservatives be held responsible for the 2008 recession? Of course not. Would a different government party have done better? Unlikely. Now, again, we’re in a recession, a mild one, this time because of a drastic drop in the price of oil. Again could the Conservatives be held responsible for this? Of course not! Would a different government party have brought us to a better financial position today?

Unlikely. If the oil price had stayed at the 2014 price would we not be in a good surplus position now? Unfortunately that did not happen. But I’m sure we will recover again in time. I don’t know how I’ll vote in October but I will be fair and not blame the Conservatives for problems not of their making.

O. Fothergill

 

Salmon Arm Observer