Editor:
Re: Mass call-out elicits participation: MP, Jan. 19.
There is a certain irony in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and local MP Russ Hiebert tag-teaming on a telephone town hall on financial matters.
First we have Hiebert, one of the highest spending MPs in the country.
Then there’s Flaherty. The only balanced budget he has ever produced was made possible through surpluses inherited from the Liberals. And who could forget that abysmal budget that almost brought down Flaherty’s own government, resulting in the prorogation of Parliament?
The finance minister appears to have no control over government spending and, as a result, we have a serious deficit that cannot and will not be eliminated within the next five years.
Neither gentleman has a great record of fiscal restraint, so I guess it’s a good thing they’re seeking input from their fellow citizens.
Penny Essex, Surrey
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I would like to commend our MP, Russ Hiebert, for the excellent telephone town-hall meeting on the upcoming federal budget conducted Monday.
The telephone conference call was hosted by Hiebert, with Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty fielding questions pertaining to the budget.
Local constituents joined in and asked a number of very good questions ranging from taxation issues to creation of jobs in the future. The minister of finance did a superb job of responding to a wide range of excellent questions from our constituents. He emphasized that government does not create jobs or wealth: the private sector does, and it’s the government’s role to establish the environment for the private sector to generate economic prosperity and growth.
Flaherty provided very specific and pertinent answers to the many questions fielded. This was a great opportunity for local citizens to speak directly with a senior government cabinet minister and receive such superb responses.
I thought this telephone town hall was an excellent and historic initiative.
Bill Taylor, White Rock
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I missed our MP’s phone town hall by going to see the film, The King’s Speech, a snapshot of history, of leadership, humility and the power of positive words.
The Third Reich propaganda briefly shown in that era appears to have an echo in style and vitriol today, in both American and Canadian politics. Russ Hiebert’s and Stephen Harper’s attack ads, junk mail, scripted slag and spin do not cut it for real representation, leadership and truly listening to others, not just the sheeple they get money from.
My voice mail did not have a message, so I guess I never made the invited targeted Con’s call list. Sigh.
Pat Petrala, White Rock