LETTER

Practice what you preach, Mr Prime Minister 

Justin Trudeau, in threatening Andrew Scheer with a lawsuit over his comments over the SNC-Lavalin affair, asserted, “You can’t be inventing things; you can’t be lying to Canadians… there are consequences.” But what of the credibility of the Prime Minister himself?

Recall his promise that “the budget will balance itself” and contrast it with the true figure: a deficit of $19.8 billion for 2019-20 What remains of his commitment to change the “first past the post” voting system? The 2015 Liberal platform pledged to “bring an end to this undemocratic practice” and abolish omnibus bills, yet Bill C-74 contained the Deferred Prosecution Agreement. Bill C-97, a recent omnibus budget bill included measures to reduce the number of successful asylum seekers.

What became of the “Indigenous rights framework”? Although he claimed that waiving privilege and cabinet confidence was “unprecedented” for Jody Wilson-Raybould, this had been done at least four times since 1987.

On February 20, he claimed that he would always “stand up for good jobs across the country.” Yet seems to overlook the massive unemployment in Alberta with about 110,000 jobs lost. In the past four years, fewer Albertans are now employed in the private sector, and private-sector wages have dropped by eight per cent. 

Responding to Premier Ford’s health reform plans, Trudeau stated that he had always acted when “provinces have not aligned themselves with the Canada Health Act.” Yet he continues to ignore Quebec’s violation of Section 1 of the CHA. As a result, Quebecers usually pay directly for medical care in other provinces as few MDs will accept their medicare card.  

As Andre Marin concluded (Ottawa Sun, April 14), “Trudeau should drop his partisan lawsuit talk and focus on fulfilling his promises instead of trying to change the channel. He should be the last one to lecture other politicians about telling the truth.”

Charles S. Shaver, 

MD, Ottawa