COMMENTARY
by Rick Tone
There is an old saying that we should be careful what we wish for because we may get it. The implication is that it will not at all be what we expected and we may be sorry for having wished for it.
So will it be, I expect, for those wishing for Justin Trudeau and the Liberals to win the next federal election, if they do, in fact, win it.
The expectation, of course, is that Trudeau and the Liberals will usher in a new era of peace, love, openness and social security to harken back to the good old days of those Liberal administrations before him ... except, as I recall, they were not really all that good.
So, the sign above Trudeau’s bar may read “Free Beer Tomorrow,” but when that tomorrow arrives and we walk into his establishment to get our free beer, let us not be surprised if he points out that the sign says free beer tomorrow, not today. Today, we pay for our beer, and probably not the usual price either, but a little extra to help pay unforeseen and unavoidable “expenses,” - wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
And c’mon now, did we ever seriously think that Trudeau would serve beer for free? Chances are it will neither be free nor beer, but rather that old Liberal socialist drink that sours industry and initiative, handicaps freedom and re-makes Canada into a centrally planned state. Like China, whose dictatorial government Trudeau has said he so much admires because they “can get things done.” Like China, which promises a chicken in every pot. Meanwhile, Trudeau just promises the pot.
What of Trudeau’s view on crime? As I recall, he opined that the Tsarnev brothers were not really responsible for bombing the Boston Marathon, rather it was the fault of American society which drove them to do it. I find that kind of logic scary.
Perhaps it’s not surprising, though, given that the Liberals have no problem making every legal and responsible Canadian gun owner into a de facto criminal, not to mention store owners and citizens who get charged for apprehending criminals. God help us if we hurt a criminal in doing so.
And wasn’t Trudeau part of the Liberal caucus that trashed the proposed law against Internet pedophiles?
Hey, how about Trudeau’s sense of humour - he just suggested that the Russians may be so upset at losing their hockey match at the Sochi Olympics that they will take out their frustration by invading Ukraine! Just a joke, Trudeau’s defenders said. Right.
As if Vladimir Putin needs encouragement from Trudeau, or the Ukrainians need any more hardship than they are already enduring. Do we really want to chance giving Trudeau control of Canadian foreign policy?
On Evan Solomon’s CBC Power and Politics program, Trudeau declared that if elected as PM, he will not raise taxes. Really? B.C.‘s former Liberal premier, Gordon Campbell, promised he would not implement the HST, but immediately after being re-elected he did exactly that.
Ontario’s former Liberal premier, Dalton McGuinty, promised he would not raise taxes if re-elected, but he quickly broke that promise (and many other promises as well - Google it for a comprehensive list).
Admittedly Trudeau is not them, and perhaps he will keep his promise, but in my opinion the odds of winning the 649 Jackpot are hugely better.
So what else do we stand to lose under a Liberal government headed by Trudeau?
Hands up everyone who wants to go back to paying 7 per cent GST (or more).
Hands up all you mothers who want to lose your $100 per month per child under six years old and have centralized state-run daycare as your only choice.
Hands up all you parents who want to give up the incentives available for putting your children into sports.
Hands up all you citizens who are in favour of Trudeau clawing back all the gas tax benefits now flowing to your municipalities.
Hands up all Canadians who are in favour of a job-killing stiff carbon tax on every citizen and industry.
And this is just a short list.
Yes indeed, be careful what you wish for.
Rick Tone lives in Whitehorse.