EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has sent an urgent call to action to its 60,000 supporters encouraging them to contact the Governor General’s office to demand she call an election if the current government is defeated next Monday.
“CTF supporters from across the country have been contacting our offices over the past couple of days rightfully concerned that a coalition of parties with no mandate to impose their agenda may be running the country in a week’s time,” stated CTF-Alberta director Scott Hennig.
“Since the decision after a non-confidence vote will lie in the hands of the Governor General it’s only appropriate that Canadians contact her to let her know how they want her to act on their behalf,” continued Hennig.
In a TaxAction to CTF supporters, the CTF highlighted three reasons the Governor General should opt for an election:
Coalition governments are perfectly democratic – indeed, they exist in stable democracies through-out the world – yet this particular arrangement lacks both legitimacy and accountability. A majority of Canadians may have voted against the Conservatives (62%). But a majority did not vote in favour of a coalition imposing billions in deficit spending, propped up by separatists. An election with this understanding allows Canadians to make a clear and transparent decision at the ballot box;
While the Bloc has been given a veto on all matters pertaining to the proposed coalition government, only those privy to backroom dealings know what that translates into in terms of both policy and cost. An election would force scrutiny and transparency of any governing agreement with the separatist Bloc; and
The NDP and Liberals have no mandate for a grandiose "stimulus package." Both parties campaigned just two months ago on costed and balanced budget platforms.
The CTF is particularly concerned with a radical new policy agenda put forward by the proposed coalition government that runs directly contrary to repeated commitments made by those leaders in the recent election campaign.
Stephane Dion told CTV News on September 22nd: a “Liberal government will never put Canada into deficit. Period.” Similarly, Jack Layton told the Sun Media on September 30th: “I believe in a balanced budget … These are not weasel words. I don’t like paying interest to banks and investors when you could be putting money to better use.”
The CTF has consistently opposed costly and failed “stimulus packages” regardless of what party is in power.
“We doubly oppose them where governments have absolutely no electoral mandate to proceed. If the opposition parties believe this is ‘what Canadians want’ then they should have no hesitation in earning public support at the ballot box,” concluded Hennig.
Copies of the CTF’s TaxAction to supporters can be viewed here:
