A few comments on the @mark-carney.bsky.social platform released today. You can find it here: https://liberal.ca/cstrong/.
I provided some 'sounding board' advice here and there to those working on the platform. As always: I disclose, but you can decide what weight to put on that.
Thread below...
I provided some 'sounding board' advice here and there to those working on the platform. As always: I disclose, but you can decide what weight to put on that.
Thread below...
Comments
It is epoch defining.
That's the lens through which I'm assessing this platform.
Four main points:
1--cushioning the blow from tariffs
2--growth measures
3--defence
4--overall budget framework.
Several temporary supports:
- relaxing EI rules for workers
- support for affected businesses
- $2B strategic response fund.
It also books $20B in countertariff revenues this year to help pay for it.
Seems like the right tools and scale.
I'm one of those who thinks that we should not bank on 'business as usual' after some 'deal' or after some future US election.
We need to chart a different course, both economically and with allies.
Which brings us to
2) Growth measures.
- Pushing harder on internal trade. Good goal. This is mostly on the provs though. Call their bluffs. I'm more skeptical than others about the speed and magnitude of the impact.
- Big push in trade infrastructure. Ports. Railways. East-West Electricity grid. This is all exactly the right target for federal investments. Tax cuts aren't going to deliver this. Public investment will. This is good.
- 'One window' approvals for energy/other infrastructure projects. Streamlining approvals to cut years off big projects will move the numbers a lot more in your capex spreadsheet than a point or two of corp taxes. Glad to see this goal fronted here. We must do better.
No real plans, no real costing…
Would you trust a contractor to build you a house with only a crayon drawing for plans, and no estimate of price….
Now, do the "Bring it Home" version for comparison.
It's a political slamdunk to solidify support of NDP/Green voters (even niche PPC voters), and would rectify a major flub of Trudeau's that he never fully recovered from.
Build & invest in the foundation of our democracy.
Dental/Pharma/Childcare are no small feats. Typically canadian of him to not be self-aggrandizing for legit accomplishments.
Interesting that the Liberal Party chose Carney on a RCB in the leader race.
Locking them out of political discourse will only make them more entrenched, resentful, and reactionary.
The current system only serves to move us deeper into two party rule, and entrenched polarization.