Dear editor,
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is overstepping his rights.
How dare he take a group of your evangelical friends and "hangers-on" to Israel at our expense? I don't care what his personal religious beliefs are but he has no right to impose them on us.
He does not represent all Canadians — he should remember that.
However, other more important matters of great concern to Canadians are his secret negotiations in trade deals that will affect Canada's future. We have a right to know exactly what is involved and have a say in what is agreed to.
Canadian taxpayers are already paying $160 million in claims by foreign companies through the NAFTA Deal (negotiated in secret) plus a further $2.5 billion in ongoing claims. There is also $250 million by Lone Pine Resources and $500 million threatened by Ely Lily.
All of this could have gone to social programs Harper is busy cutting.
If the Trans Pacific Partnership is signed as it now is, we can expect many more if Canada tries to impose its environmental, work-safety and building codes on the inevitable Chinese companies that will move into Canada.
They have an appalling record in these fields and will fight us in the courts if these codes interfere with their profits.
I also object to cuts being made to essential services — the CBC, health care, education, aboriginal affairs, social services, veterans services, the post office and many more. These are being enforced so the prime minister can present us with a "balanced budget" before the next election and make out that Canada is OK financially!
Canada is not OK.
People are becoming desperate — children are going hungry, government services are deteriorating, employees are not being paid on time, creating great stress on families. Stable full-time jobs are hard to find — the country is in a mess.
Doesn't Mr. harper ever stop to think that the Canada he is creating is the Canada he is going to leave to his children.
Ann Andrews,
Black Creek