Dear Editor:
By now everyone knows that Monday October 21st is election day in Canada.
The Liberals were elected in 2015 and four years later all we have is a long list of broken promises. Electoral reform was abandoned as were balanced budgets. Canada's foreign policy is in shambles. We have a government who has shown a consistent pattern of ethical lapses in judgement. Two ethics breaches by the Prime Minister himself and repeated attempts to block any inquiry into the SNC and Mark Norman scandals.
The Conservative Party is offering a different path. We're promising to live within our means. We have a responsible plan to return to balanced budgets. We will accomplish this by cutting corporate welfare, reprioritizing Foreign Aid, maintaining 2020-21 staffing levels in the Federal Government, save on non-personnel operating expenses, prioritize infrastructure spending, and make large technology companies pay their fair share. We will NOT cut transfers to provinces. Andrew Scheer's Health and Social Transfer guarantee commits to maintain and increase the transfers by at least 3% per year to allow provinces to better plan and deliver their health and social programming.
Our platform is based on affordability initiatives to help all Canadians get ahead. The costs of everything have been going up whether it is gas, groceries, home heating, rent and housing prices. We want to put money back in your pockets and help you get ahead with initiatives such as the Universal Tax Cut for the lowest income bracket, reinstating Child Fitness, Art and Learning Credits, removing GST from home-heating bills, making it easier for young people to buy their first home by fixing the mortgage stress test and changing amortization to 30 years. It is impossible to mention all the things a Conservative government is promising to Canadians, so I will leave you with these thoughts.
It is reckless to run massive unending deficits, especially during a period of relative economic growth. Borrowed money must be paid back and our children shouldn’t be stuck with the bill. Our National debt costs us $30 billion dollars in interest payments every year, which amounts to over $800 for every man, woman and child in this country or $3,200 for a family of four. Just to pay interest on the debt. Every single dollar spent on interest is a dollar not spent on social programs and not put back in your pocket. Getting back to balance and paying down the debt is the only way to protect Canada's social programs. As the debt increases, taxation levels must increase.
I am asking you to choose our path. You must live within your means and your government should have to do the same. Some parties claim all Conservatives do is cut and bring forth austerity measures. It simply isn't true. Bill Walker, our MPP, has announced well over
$50 million dollars in funding for projects in this riding since the Conservative government came to power provincially. The new Meaford school, bridge and road work, community housing, mental health supports, long-term care beds, and arts, culture and tourism, to name a few. Conservative governments aren't about cuts, they are about responsible choices. Living within our means, will mean more money going forward for the critical social programs we have come to enjoy in this great country.
I was born here, went to school here, played sports here. I have spent my adult life in military service to Canada including living by the mottos of “Truth, Duty, Valour” and “Pro Patria” (latin for “For Country”). I have put my name forth as a candidate in this election as an opportunity to continue to serve both the constituents of this riding and this country. I stand for fiscal responsibility. I stand for responsible, ethical government. I stand for small businesses, farmers, families, seniors and veterans, and most of all I stand for you, the residents of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. Your voice matters, the voice of rural Ontario matters. On October 21st, I would be honoured to represent you as your voice in Ottawa and I respectfully ask for your vote.
Alex Ruff,
Conservative candidate,
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
