Dear editor,
The Record did a community service by publishing Chris Aikman’s letter on April 27.
The latter pointed out all of the important questions which have gone unanswered by Harper in this election.
In the April 27 Times-Colonist, Andrew Cohen carries us further with his article “What Harper might do with a majority.”
Cohen, a professor of journalism and international affairs at Carleton University, takes Harper’s past actions and adds realistic possibilities: “appointing more conservative judges, denying funding to liberal-minded non-governmental organizations like Planned Parenthood,” and “getting tough on crime.”
We’ve already seen examples of those actions, but Cohen says Harper will “use the deficit as reason to shrink the size of government. That may mean slashing the public service, starving (or selling) the CBC and privatizing government services.”
Cohen adds that “Canada will continue to regard the United Nations suspiciously. There will not be a return to peacekeeping … or a human security agenda. Military spending will rise while international assistance is reassessed. A foundering CIDA will be reorganized or even abolished.”
Cohen goes on to say that Harper would pursue a new deal with the U.S. on border and security issues. It would build on a new free trade (CETA) with Europe.
Cohen even refers to a Harper government as a “one-man government.”
Do we want that? Don’t we deserve more?
We all need to think some more before May 2.
Gwyn Frayne,
Courtenay
