Are these just ‘technical’ job losses Mr. Harper?

As the United States holds talks with the Big 3 Automakers – GM, Ford, and Chrysler – Stephen Harper and his governing Conservatives have duped public opinion into believing a suspension of Parliament is exactly what we need.

Well, they have done a great job of diverting attention away from what really matters and back onto leadership and right to govern matters. Let me ask you, as the most diehard of neo-conservatives on Capitol Hill are quickly warming to bailout plans to save what many analysts consider an industry that is much to important to the American economy, why aren’t our MPs working, meeting, or deciding on anything? Surely that isn’t good for Canadians?

As an extension, I would argue that the importance of those three companies to Canada is just as important. But, we seem to be stuck as a result of regions.

The CPC enjoys the base of its support in Alberta. It is like their home base per se. In that part of the country automobile manufacturing isn’t the focus. Really, neither is any manufacturing. Oil is the word in Alberta. It seems the people there cast a blind eye to those in Ontario. We are losing jobs, oh well; I guess that is our punishment for being from evil central Canada.

But, what happens now that oil is tumbling towards $40 a barrel? That question can be answered another time.

Conservative inaction in this case goes far beyond the issue of whether an issuance of money is the proper thing to do. Harper and his team have put governing on hold for a month and a half and people are just fine with it. That is a massive issue. What is wrong with us?

Is seems Canadians do not care about each other. Case in point, a day after the House is suspended, we have another 700 jobs cut from the Oshawa GM plant:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081205/oshawa_layoffs_081205/20081205?hub=TopStories

In addition, Canada lost 71,000 jobs this November alone as Harper sat on his hands. Could this have anything to do with 66,000 of those jobs being from Ontario?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081205/jobs_numbers_081205/20081205?hub=TopStories

I am not about to say that Harper isn’t reacting solely due to the fact that the most serious jobs losses are in Ontario. I just think it’s the fact that the job losses aren’t in Alberta.

Depending how the country weathers the next month and a half Harper may escape this decision to prorogue just fine. But, it is a risky maneuver. What happens if the economy begins a free fall without anyone in his or her offices on Parliament Hill to stave off the worst?

There will come a time in the future where Canadians will realize just how wrong Stephen Harper is in leading Canada. He and his trusted economic advisors are even more neo-conservative, more republican, and also more cavalier than those over the border to the South that sit in the party of John McCain. At least they are working to debate economic stimulus. Are we just piggybacking what the Americans do? Are we Americans in waiting or are we our own people? Is this what we want? I doubt it, but Canadians are too easily blinded by attacks on coalitions, leaders, liberals, separatists, socialists, moms, dads, and anyone else worthy of distracting us.

It really is all just so unfortunate.

J.