Fend for yourself
Paul Martin's latest shot at the Conservatives in this election campaign is that they stand for "fend for yourself government". He says this as if it's a bad thing.
What Martin proposes is a government that will look after everyone. That is to say, a society where everyone is government dependent. A society where no on fends for himself, and turns over his liberty, and his money of course, to a government which will look after him - as the government sees fit.
Canada was built by men and women who fended for themselves. We admire our forefathers for their resolute character, their energy, and their personal triumphs. Was there a price to be paid for having a minimal government without the huge "safety net" so fundamental to Liberal thinking? Yes there was, but not nearly the price that is paid for a Liberal style government.
Before Trudeau, we did not see many people living in cardboard boxes or begging in the streets. People had to fend for themselves, so they did. They also got help from family and friends.
Liberals have worked hard over the past 35 years to replace the help of family or friends with help provided by government bureaucrats. Both types of help are uncertain, but personally I think I can count on family and friends more than the govenrment if I need assistance.
The financial cost of such "help" has become huge. Canada is considered to have taxation levels close to the highest in the world. We are all paying into government coffers far too much of our income, and we are getting far too little for it.
Aside from that, most government social programs tend to make the situation worse. An excellent book on the subject is Mona Charen's "Do-gooders: How liberals hurt those they claim to help". It conclusively shows how a variety of social programs have had the unintended consequence of promoting welfare dependency, crime, drug dealing and homelessness.
So when Paul Martin says that the Conservatives stand for "fend for yourself government", that's the best reason I can think of to vote Conservative.
What Martin proposes is a government that will look after everyone. That is to say, a society where everyone is government dependent. A society where no on fends for himself, and turns over his liberty, and his money of course, to a government which will look after him - as the government sees fit.
Canada was built by men and women who fended for themselves. We admire our forefathers for their resolute character, their energy, and their personal triumphs. Was there a price to be paid for having a minimal government without the huge "safety net" so fundamental to Liberal thinking? Yes there was, but not nearly the price that is paid for a Liberal style government.
Before Trudeau, we did not see many people living in cardboard boxes or begging in the streets. People had to fend for themselves, so they did. They also got help from family and friends.
Liberals have worked hard over the past 35 years to replace the help of family or friends with help provided by government bureaucrats. Both types of help are uncertain, but personally I think I can count on family and friends more than the govenrment if I need assistance.
The financial cost of such "help" has become huge. Canada is considered to have taxation levels close to the highest in the world. We are all paying into government coffers far too much of our income, and we are getting far too little for it.
Aside from that, most government social programs tend to make the situation worse. An excellent book on the subject is Mona Charen's "Do-gooders: How liberals hurt those they claim to help". It conclusively shows how a variety of social programs have had the unintended consequence of promoting welfare dependency, crime, drug dealing and homelessness.
So when Paul Martin says that the Conservatives stand for "fend for yourself government", that's the best reason I can think of to vote Conservative.
posted by Brian Purdy, Calgary at 9:20 a.m.
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