In his letter (The News, March 29), Gerald Hall suggests that the real issue in this election is stability which only Stephen Harper and the Conservatives can provide. I would ask Mr. Hall what he means by stability.
Does he mean bringing down the largest deficit in Canadian history and planning to add to it by building super-prisons and purchasing new fighter jets, thus falling in line with American psyche and values?
The American social and political landscape is dominated by fear, loathing and distrust, largely promoted by the neo-con Republican agenda.
These are the same characteristics that have permeated the Conservative party ever since Mr. Harper became leader.
Harper and the Conservatives have constantly played the fear card through their ongoing attack ads and their anti-crime agenda of longer sentencing and super-prisons even though, statistically, the Canadian crime rate has been steadily dropping over the past two decades.
Ah, yes, keeping people in fear is the best method of control and manipulation.
Mr. Hall has obviously swallowed the Conservative-based fear that a coalition involving the Bloc would lead to Quebec separating. Could he explain why, or is it just sufficient to throw out that fear without any explanation?
Perhaps Mr. Hall means the stability of our democratic system and values?
Yet Mr. Harper and the Conservatives have systematically thumbed their noses at those values by proroguing Parliament, flagrantly ignoring and bending or breaking election funding laws, by supporting ministers who have been clearly in contempt of Parliament and by underlining that contempt in refusing to be open and forthcoming about their recent budget costs.
Contrary to what Mr. Hall would have us believe, it was the Conservatives, not the oppostion parties, who brought about this election by their utter disrespect for our Canadian democracy, together with their desire for unbridled power in the form of a majority.
Like Mr. Hall, I would like to see a government in this country that would bring stability to this country.
I would like to see a government bring back some honesty and integrity into our political landscape by honouring and protecting our democratic values and by putting ordinary Canadians first, through programs and initiatives that best support them.
Mr. Hall thinks Stephen Harper and the Conservatives would do this? I beg to differ.
Doug Sheffield
Bowser
