Don't Worry, Be Happy

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back.

Canada has the strongest banking system in the world right now, according to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. We should be happy about it.

Thank goodness. All my friends who work in the banking industry are relieved they aren't facing the reality others (such as my friend who worked for Lehman has been wrestling with for six months) are facing. Canada may be in a better position than some, but thousands of people are losing their jobs, including members of that "mobile" workforce reliant on high oil prices fuelling oil sands development.

But all banking jokes aside, I suggest you watch the video of Mr. Harper reading the first real speech he's made about the recession. He wrote it himself. His big point? Cut the red tape, so infrastructure projects can move forward quickly.

According to Harper, there are two kinds of red tape. The first involves all the environmental impact assessments that must take place before a new infrastructure project is approved. The second is a cheeky reference to the Liberal dominated Senate debating his proposed economic stimulus package.

The nerve! The gall! How dare the Senators actually wake up and debate an incredibly important issue instead of passing it quickly!

The nerve, indeed. Almost as cheeky as the Conservatives tacking such issues as seniors and First Nation housing, pay equity, and changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act to an economic stimulus package.

Does an economic stimulus package need to be passed quickly? Yes, if you think one is needed at all. But blaming the slowness on the Liberals and the Senators is not going to wash.

Mr. Harper had a chance to propose a stimulus package before Christmas, but chose to wait for Mr. Obama's package first. Smart move, in my opinion. Anything the Americans do to prop up their economy will have a trickle down effect to Canada. Why should we spend our own dwindling pile of cash when we can piggyback?

He's taken his time, developed a comprehensive package. Or so he says. That's all well and good. Now he wants it implemented as soon as possible.

The problem with C-10 isn't that the economic stimulus package. It's all the other stuff tacked on that the Conservatives want pushed though with little or no debate.

I'm not falling for it. Neither are small businesses (who are affected by competition proposals in C-10), paddlers and recreational waterway users (who may lose waterway access and have waterways altered by fast tracked infrastructure projects), women working in the public sector (who will lose the ability to file complaints for pay equity), provincial governments affected by transfer payment changes (FYI, Quebec will receive more in transfer payments than all other provinces combined), First Nations people off-reserve (as the bill only addresses on-reserve needs), low-income and senior housing needs, students requiring financial assistance (don't worry, Bill C-10 says you don't have to pay back your loan if you're dead), and more.

I got tired of reading the bill, so I'll stop there. But that should also make it obvious that this bill has too much in it for a cursory approval trip.

So send it back, Senators, and demand the stimulus package be separate from all these other changes.

If you don't like it, Mr. Harper, then I suggest it's about time you did something about Senate reform other than appoint senators.