17. Great Covens of Right Wing Idealogues, Batman ! -

Continued ... Last time Batman and Robin were discussing the Stephen Harper tax cuts and what they mean to the social fabric of Canada as a nation; as well as, similarities between Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty and their policies with Mike Harris, Preston Manning and the current Republican Regime in the United States as lead by G.W. Bush.. . .

Robin: Jeepers Batman, it seems Flaherty must have read our “Great Covens of Right Wing Idealogues”.

Batman: It’s nice to think somebody is reading us, Robin, but why do you say that.

Robin: Well Batman, in a recent Toronto Star article (27 Dec.’07) Flaherty appears to be responding to some of our points regarding the impact of the Harper tax cuts on Canada as a nation.

Batman: Yes, Robin. But it is interesting that he makes no attempt

to distance himself from Mike Harris or Preston Manning. In fact it was those two who called for huge reductions in taxes along with huge reductions in government spending and downsizing in their report “Building Prosperity in a Canada Strong and Free”, released last November by the Fraser Institute.

Robin: Great Covens of Right Wing Idealogues, just who is running our country, Batman.

Batman: That’s a very good question, one that will be hopefully answered soon enough, Robin. Both Harper and Flaherty will be given ample opportunity to explain themselves.

Robin: Holy predictions, Batman, are you suggesting an early election.

Batman: We shall see. But not matter what, Robin, the chickens will surely come home to roost. Robin: That’s great. Batman, but what about the way Harper and Flaherty are changing the very fabric of our society.

Batman: Harper and Flaherty he just doesn’t get it, or, perhaps, don't want to get it. Flaherty talks about the various sectors of our economy restructuring according to international market pressure without the help of the government.

Robin: How so, Batman.

Batman: Well, Robin, according to the article “in years past, Canadians used to look to Ottawa for help in challenging economic times, Flaherty said. But that era is over.”
Robin: Holy Cop-out, Batman, does that mean what I think: Harper and Flaherty are dismantling the Federal Government structure and

deliberately exposing all Canadians to the raw forces of international capitalism to sink or swim.

Batman: You are starting to see the realities, Robin. Harper and Flaherty’s rhetoric appears to be obstructing the clear effect of what ‘restructuring’ means on a personal level.

For example, the people in the sector being phased out lose their jobs. It may be that other people get jobs in the new sector so that overall the employment rate stays similar. But, this is a shift, a shift that favours some groups at the expense of others, the result of which is an increase in the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Robin: But, Batman, surely they could be retrained to fill these new jobs. And there must be other things that can be done.

Batman: Yes, Robin, but the whole point is that in the past Canadians from all parts of the country have joined together to

help in this type of situation, through various programs. But, for the Harper government “that era is over”.

Robin: But, with such a big surplus even Harper’s heart would soften, wouldn’t it Batman?

Batman: Unfortunately, Robin,

Harper may make token gestures here or there, but that is the point about extent of his tax cuts. As can be gleaned from what Flaherty himself is saying, Canada will simply not have the surplus in the future since it has been eliminated by the 200 billion in tax cuts. According to a recent G&M article (27 Dec.’07),

“Mr. Flaherty said he would ‘like to do more’ to reduce personal income taxes further, but said there is little room for substantial action, due to a slowing economy and the previous tax cuts.
Robin: But what about all the reports about employment increases and increased trade with other countries like China.

Batman: Elementary my dear, Robin … Erh… anyway … In order to see what is really going on we must look at these things in more detail, on a sector-by-sector, region-by-region, level.
Robin: I think I see, Batman. You mean that it could simply be that the rich are getting richer than the poor are getting poorer.

Batman: Something like that, Robin. It may be that exports of raw materials, coal, oil and gas, minerals, and the like, are increasing and at a greater rate than manufacturing is decreasing. In such a scenario the overall result could very well be that trade with other countries is increasing and the employment rate is increasing.

But, tell that to those in the manufacturing sector who are losing their jobs and the companies that are going out of business.

Robin: But, Batman, what about Harper’s predictions of a slowing economy?

Batman: ‘Obscure, Obstruct ’ seems to be a basic strategy for Harper and his government, Robin - their rhetoric obscuring the reality, their posturing obstructing resolution.

Robin: Holy abdication of responsibility, Batman.

Batman: This appears to be the case with the environmental issues as well.
Robin: Holy cataclysm, Batman, it’s one thing to lose a sector of the economy, but the environment is our future and that of our children. How can we allow its destruction in the future to simply to benefit one part of economy now.

Batman: That is a question we all must ask ourselves. But, it is worse than that, Robin. By dismantling the federal government and granting 200 billion in tax cuts, two very important means to combat global warming and help the sectors hit by it are seriously restrained.

We need a strong federal government with the resources to fight global warming. Our future and that of our children depend on it. If ever there was a time that all Canadians must band together under one banner and act for the good of all it is to fight Global Warming.

Robin: Holy Call-to-Arms, Batman, what can we if we all join together as one federation.

Batman: Secure our future, Robin. England has recently announced a major, nation wide project to create offshore wind farms that would generate enough power to light every home in the United Kingdom by 2020.

This is expected to result in very significant reductions in CO2 production.
Without a federal government to oversee such a project and the funds to finance it, Canada has no hope of anything of this nature.
Robin: If England is doing it, why don’t we. After all, Canada

has winds as well, Batman, just look at our great white north.

Batman: Well Robin, the calls for such projects appear to be falling on deaf ears. According to a recent article in the G&M (3 Jan.’08) the “vice-president of Nunavut's Qulliq Energy

Corporation, said Nunavut is also interested in alternative energy sources such as wind. However, he said, nothing is moving quickly, partly because of the lack of federal money for research and projects. “They don't seem to have any interest in any alternative-energy projects,” he said.

Robin: Maybe, Dion and the Liberals or even Elizabeth May and the Green Party will announce their intention to create a project similar to that in England, Batman. Maybe they will make it a central cause to unite all Canadians together in this, our most important endeavour.

Batman: Perhaps, Robin, I don’t know. But what I do knows is we’ve got to get our Canada back, Robin, before its too late.

© Lloyd MacIlquham, all rights reserved, 8 January, 2008-01-08