What a ride the first quarter of 2025 has been! Dragged into a trade war by our increasingly fickle and untrustworthy southern neighbour and friend (?), we are left helplessly watching capricious seesawing decisions, insults to both our public figures and our intelligence, and threats to our sovereignty. It’s enough to leave most of us feeling dizzy and anxious.
The inkling of optimism to be had is found in our renewed fervour for this country we love so much. We are making conscious consumer choices in favour of Canadian products and services. We’re re-examining our social media and entertainment sources. We’re questioning the influence of the tech-bro oligarchs and huge American corporate entities in our media, entertainment, and the communications technology we have come to depend on. And, judging by recent political polls, we seem to be increasingly suspicious of Republican-like political philosophies within our own borders.
No doubt the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) is wondering how to pivot in response to this. This week, a flyer from Provencher MP Ted Falk came by Canada Post boldly proclaiming “Canada First,” and I was curious what I might find in the way of creative solutions.
Well, not much of anything creative, as it turns out, although there were some ideas that made me nod in agreement. Yes, remove inter-provincial trade barriers. Yes, help workers and businesses affected by tariffs. And yes, invest in our military preparedness, too. Happily, all of these are part of Green Party policy (articulated here in far more detail).
But among these great ideas lurk some pretty alarming assertions. Let’s bust some myths, Ted:
Liberals must put aside their partisan interests.
Seriously? This, from the partisan source of “Axe the Tax,” “Carbon Tax Carney,” and (unofficially) “F*ck Trudeau”?? The CPC has taken partisan interests to increasingly nefarious places, including adopting some of Trump’s worst behaviour of insulting the opposition (who is, by the way, NOT the enemy) and using pithy, meaningless sayings to rile up their “base” rather than offer real solutions.
We ALL must put aside our partisan interests and move beyond a winner-take-all attitude that turns politics into a popularity-based sporting event. The challenges we face require us to come together, explore ideas, and build consensus. Here’s a truth: Democracy depends on differences in opinion. The alternative is tyranny.
Pass a massive emergency Bring it Home Tax Cut to bolster the economy and save and create jobs.
Hold on now, Ted. Let’s do some math. You’re proposing to implement retaliatory tariffs and use not one cent of that for the government while at the same time proposing to rebuild the military and massively cut taxes? Not sure where the money to bolster the military is supposed to come from, let alone what will happen to all the social services (including public health care) that sets Canada apart from the USA? Even more creepy is that Donald Trump recently announced (pronounced?) that tariffs will make the USA the wealthiest country on earth and lower taxes, and when Canada is annexed we will pay no tariffs and less taxes. Tell me, Ted, are we really putting Canada first by playing Trump’s card?
Here’s an important truth that gets lost in the rhetoric: The poorest people in Canada do not pay a lot in taxes. Also, good food is not taxable. Nor is rent. More importantly, the tax burden on the struggling middle class is not as extreme as the CPC would have us believe when healthcare, pharmacare, scientific research and other public good is factored in. The ones who benefit the most from tax cuts are the rich. The leader of the Official Opposition, who makes $300,000 annually and has a net worth of millions, stands to gain far more from tax cuts (including the proposed cuts to capital gains taxes) than you or I do.
Bottom line: A “massive” tax cut is a precursor to bankrupting our public services in preparation for a sell-off to private interests, which will only serve to increase wealth inequality largely at the expense of the hard-working average Canadian family. Private interests do not keep wealth in Canada, either – the winners will be oligarchs and foreign equity funds. Is this putting Canada first? On the contrary – this is right out of Donald Trump’s playbook.
Immediately scrap the Liberal anti-resource law C-69
Wait, what? “Anti-resource”? Is that what we’re calling environmental protection now? How is this different from “Drill, baby, drill”?? The CPC is proposing to build “pipelines, LNG projects, mines, and factories” – all powered, we have to assume, by carbon. What on earth are we thinking?? How close are we to Trump’s ban of all mention of climate change from the entire US Government’s culture?
Time for a reality check: Climate change is an existential crisis, and most countries (yes, most) are committed to tackling decarbonization as the single most important and effective response to this crisis. China has probably reached peak emissions and has, in the last two years, brought more renewable energy online than the rest of the world combined. The UK has reduced their emissions by 50% over 1990 levels and have plans to reach net-zero by 2050. The USA, on the other hand, has doubled down on the fossil fuel bandwagon, and the CPC wants to follow suit. This would be a massively costly error, in terms of the heavy consequences of climate change, in terms of lost opportunities for Canada to be a world leader in renewable energy, and in terms of the health and well-being of future generations of Canadians. And isn’t that putting Canada first?
We can, and must, do better.