Post by Said1 on Oct 3, 2008 16:39:34 GMT -5
Of course he's gonna say that NOW, with an election coming up. In fact, I don't think he can say anything that will hurt the outcome of the election.
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icsjLqI04MdRZLkHTkYxNtBBsUUQD93J75TO0
Canada PM: No need for US style government
TORONTO (AP) — As Canada faces an economic slowdown, the country's prime minister said Friday that Canadians don't need a parliament that acts like the U.S. congress and panics like the U.S. Treasury Department.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticized the way the U.S. has managed the credit crisis, a day after his Canadian political rivals said during a debate that he was out of touch with the seriousness of Canada's slowing economy.
The critics say the economy was teetering from shock waves from the U.S. financial crisis.
"We don't need a Parliament that acts and functions like the American Congress," Harper said Friday.
The U.S. Congress passed a $700 billion plan to buy bad assets from banks and other institutions in an effort to shore up the financial industry on Friday, just days after it unexpectedly defeated the measure.
"We're not going to get into a situation like we have in the United States where we're panicking and annunciating a different plan every day," Harper said, urging Canadians to vote for the party they think can run the economy.
Harper said he needs a strong mandate from the Oct. 14 election to deal with a slowing Canadian economy.
Harper acknowledged Canada's economy is slowing but argues that — unlike the U.S. — the country has avoided a mortgage meltdown and a banking crisis. He has promised a steady hand on the economy and has accused his Liberal opponent of wanting to raise energy taxes at an inopportune time.
Harper repeated his message that Canada's financial situation is far more stable than America's.
"The Canadian economy has continued to create jobs — it's slower than it was, but it continues to grow," Harper said. "In Canada, we had a fairly stable mortgage sector and obviously our banks are in a stable situation."
Liberal leader Stephane Dion said Harper is burying his head in the sand when it comes to the crisis and that Harper has no plan to tackle Canada's economic challenges or make it more competitive.
Dion said he would convene a meeting with financial regulators, top economists and provincial leaders within 30 days of a Liberal election victory to assess the economy and chart a path forward.
Dion, a former environment minister who named his dog Kyoto after the site of the first climate change accord, wants to increase taxes on greenhouse gas emitters, and offset the higher energy prices by cutting income taxes.
Harper said the plan would be a disaster that would hurt western Canada's commodity-based economy.
Harper called early elections in hopes his party can increase its numbers in the 308-seat Parliament. Recent polls say the opposition Liberals are trailing badly and that the Conservatives could win a majority of seats.
As a minority government in the previous Parliament, the party had to rely on the opposition to pass budgets and legislation. A majority win by his party would mean that Harper will get a five-year mandate.
TORONTO (AP) — As Canada faces an economic slowdown, the country's prime minister said Friday that Canadians don't need a parliament that acts like the U.S. congress and panics like the U.S. Treasury Department.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticized the way the U.S. has managed the credit crisis, a day after his Canadian political rivals said during a debate that he was out of touch with the seriousness of Canada's slowing economy.
The critics say the economy was teetering from shock waves from the U.S. financial crisis.
"We don't need a Parliament that acts and functions like the American Congress," Harper said Friday.
The U.S. Congress passed a $700 billion plan to buy bad assets from banks and other institutions in an effort to shore up the financial industry on Friday, just days after it unexpectedly defeated the measure.
"We're not going to get into a situation like we have in the United States where we're panicking and annunciating a different plan every day," Harper said, urging Canadians to vote for the party they think can run the economy.
Harper said he needs a strong mandate from the Oct. 14 election to deal with a slowing Canadian economy.
Harper acknowledged Canada's economy is slowing but argues that — unlike the U.S. — the country has avoided a mortgage meltdown and a banking crisis. He has promised a steady hand on the economy and has accused his Liberal opponent of wanting to raise energy taxes at an inopportune time.
Harper repeated his message that Canada's financial situation is far more stable than America's.
"The Canadian economy has continued to create jobs — it's slower than it was, but it continues to grow," Harper said. "In Canada, we had a fairly stable mortgage sector and obviously our banks are in a stable situation."
Liberal leader Stephane Dion said Harper is burying his head in the sand when it comes to the crisis and that Harper has no plan to tackle Canada's economic challenges or make it more competitive.
Dion said he would convene a meeting with financial regulators, top economists and provincial leaders within 30 days of a Liberal election victory to assess the economy and chart a path forward.
Dion, a former environment minister who named his dog Kyoto after the site of the first climate change accord, wants to increase taxes on greenhouse gas emitters, and offset the higher energy prices by cutting income taxes.
Harper said the plan would be a disaster that would hurt western Canada's commodity-based economy.
Harper called early elections in hopes his party can increase its numbers in the 308-seat Parliament. Recent polls say the opposition Liberals are trailing badly and that the Conservatives could win a majority of seats.
As a minority government in the previous Parliament, the party had to rely on the opposition to pass budgets and legislation. A majority win by his party would mean that Harper will get a five-year mandate.
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icsjLqI04MdRZLkHTkYxNtBBsUUQD93J75TO0