<< Review of Apache Essentials | Main | This shit is bananas >>

Update:Jack Layton responds

Update: Rahim Jaffer has responded to my open letter. His reply and my followup can be found here

Dear Jack and Stephen,

I am writing to you today because you have both said that an election would only be called if it was the people of Canada's will:

"It will be the Canadian people that decide when the election should happen," said Layton. "In politics, you listen to the people and that is what we are doing."
-- Jack Layton, Parties hint spring election is possible, April 12, 2005

"We always take the polls with a great deal of skepticism," Harper told reporters. "We'll wait and see what the public has to say."
-- Stephen Harper, ibid

It is not the will of this Canadian to go into an election at this time. The call for elections, primarily on the part of the Conservative Party, has all the feeling of a publicly-funded witch hunt, and I refuse to spend millions of taxpayer's money to pass judgement on the liberal party, in the form of an election, before I have all the facts from the Gomery inquiry.

One of the strengths of a minority govermnemt is that the parties can work together to create a better country for their constituents. Pearson's minority government, from 1963 to 1968, was able to pass legislation that shaped our very nation in terms of universal healthcare, unemployment insurance, and immigration. I beg of you to take this time to better our country, rather than using it as an opportunity to point out the flaws of another party.

Jack Layton has treated this situation properly, in that he has identified that Gomery is not a national crisis, but a Liberal one (Opposition unmoved, election threat remains) and as such, it is more important to place more importance on issues that actually effect Canadians, such as health (remember the Romanow report?) and education spending, the environment (Kyoto), and foreign affairs.

I am a citizen in the Edmonton-Strathcona riding. Though the NDP better reflects my political sensibilities, the conservative party, through its MP Rahim Jaffer, is my elected representation in Ottawa. This voice - and many others around me - are calling upon you, the opposition parties, to back off calling a non-confidence vote until the results of the Gomery inquiry are revealed. Do not waste our time on what is, at this point, a witch hunt.

cc: Rahim Jaffer

First reply is received... an auto-response from Stephen Harper's office:

Thank you for your e-mail message to Stephen Harper, Leader of the Opposition. Your views and suggestions are important to us. Once they have been carefully considered, you may receive a further reply.

*Remember to include your mailing address if you would like a response.

If you prefer to send your thoughts by regular mail, please address them to:

Stephen Harper, M.P.
Leader of the Opposition
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Mail may be sent postage free to any Member of Parliament.

You can also reach Mr. Harper by fax at: (613) 947-0310

Merci d'avoir écrit à Stephen Harper, le chef de l'opposition officielle. Votre opinion est importante pour nous. Lorsque nous l'aurons étudiée avec soin, nous pourrons vous faire parvenir une réponse.

*N'oubliez pas d'inclure votre adresse postale si vous voulez recevoir une réponse.

Si vous préférez nous écrire en utilisant les services postaux régulièrs, veuillez le faire au :

Stephen Harper, député
Chef de l'opposition officielle
Chambre des communes
Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0A6

Vous pouvez écrire sans affranchissement à tous les députés fédéraux.

Vous pouvez également joindre M. Harper par fax au (613) 947-0310.

Trackbacks...