It's Just Politics

Agar Adamson

If you had to write a report card on Stephen Harper after his first year in office, what would you say?

Harper’s report might be difficult to write. After all, he is the most cerebral prime minister we have had in Canada since Trudeau. Unlike Trudeau, though, has he lived up to this billing? Look at his record. He has run a tight ship, but then most prime ministers have done so during their first year in office, although Harper’s has been tighter than most. It is impossible to judge the Cabinet because he has kept every one of them under wraps.

On policy, his grades are mixed. For example, on the environment you would have to give him a failing grade, if it were not for Stephane Dion whose arrival on the scene has forced Harper to take action. Still he deserves a D. The same would be true of his programme on culture, D for lack of interest.

But on National Defence he has been quite strong, particularly on the purchasing of new items for the armed forces. He deserves a B-plus on defence. He also deserves credit for staying the course in Afghanistan. It is not always easy to be a warrior prime minister in Canada, B-plus.

Finance is another problem. His reduction of one per cent on the GST is nice, but it did not show sound economic leadership. The handling of the income trusts issue is another matter. Although the government used a bomb when a slingshot would have been sufficient, action had to be taken. On the Income Trusts issue he deserves a B-minus.

He deserves to be marked down for his income tax increases. How about a grade of C, though to be fair he has yet to show his hand when it comes to fiscal relations with the provinces. Once the new budget is tabled in March we will have a better grasp of his policies and thus be able to grade his handling of finance with more accuracy.

We all like tax cuts, but do we all deserve tax cuts? The lower end of the scale, yes, but what about those above $100,000? Is it right to cut taxes when we have so many in society who need social assistance? Medicare is under funded! The Aboriginal community is in desperate need of funds. If he cuts taxes at the expense of those who need assistance, he deserves a D-minus, but if he gives assistance to those in need, give him a B.

His Northern policies have, to date, been good particularly when it comes to protecting Canada’s Arctic soverenty, though when will construction start on the new ice breakers? He deserves a B-minus on this issue. But his repudiation of the previous government’s Kelowna accord with our aboriginal peoples deserves an F. We know the deplorable conditions in which many of our first Canadians live and we know that we cannot continue to turn our backs on these people, yet this is what Harper has done. Is it any wonder that we have such a high suicide rate amongst the Inuit when you look at Ottawa’s disinterest in their economic and social conditions?

His childcare polices may be given a B by some, but a D by others. Judging by what one hears and reads, the majority of Canadian mothers preferred Ken Dryden’s policies to the Harper handouts of $100. each month till age six.

No matter which policy you prefer, you will agree that we need greater support structures for single parents, early childhood education and children with learning problems. Give sustenance to the education of those in need today and you will have fewer individuals incarnated in our penal institutions tomorrow.

When it comes to Medicare, Harper must be so happy that the environment has driven this issue from number one to number two on the list. He deserves credit for his proposed Clean Air Act, but unfortunately he fumbled badly when it was introduced. Nevertheless he deserves a C-plus for the Clean Air Act.

He has failed to produce his much promised ‘wait list’ for surgery, and one suspects that he never will.

When it comes to senate reform and the move to fixed election dates Harper deserves an A-minus. Yes, his Senate proposals are small, but they are a step in the right direction. They do need refining, but that will come during Parliamentary debate.

He has put the same-sex marriage debate behind him. Probably he has not harmed his re-election chances by ending this debate. His moving of Vic Toews out of justice was a wise move. Toews represents a minority in society and Harper has learned that you must govern from the middle and not from the wings, as Toews would have him do.

Harper has been in office for a year and thus it is time that he stopped blaming previous governments for all his problems. He must start developing his own policies and standing up for his proposals rather than blaming the Liberals for anything and everything.