Donald Trump Syndrome
OTTAWA–Finance Minister Jim Flaherty should be fired in the wake of General Motors saying it is closing its Oshawa truck plant, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion says.
GM's announcement that it will shut the plant in 2009, throwing 2,000 people out of work, caused an uproar in both the House of Commons and the Ontario Legislature yesterday.
"The finance minister told the world not to invest in Ontario," Dion said in the Commons.
"Unfortunately, General Motors took his advice and the workers and their families are paying the price. Any finance minister who discourages investment and job growth is not fit to be finance minister."
Harper shrugged off the planned layoffs, saying it was the result of "a couple of one-time events" in an otherwise healthy economy.
You know, it’s not necessary to call for a Minister to resign every single time something goes wrong. Yet, we seem to get at least a dozen demands along those lines every year. Radwanski had a good take on this feigned fury earlier this spring (the point stands even though the post was about Bernier).
Back to Flaherty. Yes, his “last place to invest” comments were stupid. But does anyone really think that was the reason GM closed up shop?
What is interesting amid these calls for Flaherty’s resignation is that the Tories aren’t trotting out the “blame Dalton” talking points on this one, preferring instead to downplay the seriousness of the economic slump.
Labels: General Motors, Jim Flaherty
posted by calgarygrit at
7:35 p.m.
8 Comments:
According to Buzz Hargrove, the level of sales for GM trucks has not remained unchanged from the previous month. That would suggest GM has another reason for shutting down the Oshawa plant. Could it be the tax regime in Ontario? You know, the on Mr. Flaherty warned the Liberals about prior to the last budget.
By
Anonymous, at 12:28 a.m.
Shame on the Liberals! It's the NDP's job to call for someone to resign every week. Now what are the NDP supposed to do?
And Flaherty was cushioning the Tories against criticism when/if any companies closed up shop in Ontario. Now he can say "See? I told you taxes were too high!" Rather than the standard Liberal "All's well, don't worry be happy" refrain.
By
Mike514, at 7:52 a.m.
"Shame on the Liberals! It's the NDP's job to call for someone to resign every week. Now what are the NDP supposed to do?"
Become failed premiers and then join the federal Liberal Party?
By
Anonymous, at 11:12 a.m.
New Brunswick is preparing to raise the PST two points to take up tax room vacated by the feds with the GST. NB will then slash income and corporate taxes to match Alberta. Too bad McGuinty is too dumb to do this, instead of proving Flaherty was right.
By
nuna d. above, at 12:31 p.m.
Chantal Hebert argues that Flaherty is probably on the way out anyway (and for good reason), so the Liberals can't lose: he gets demoted and they claim victory, or Harper stands by him to defy calls for his head, and has to campaign in Ontario with Flaherty hanging around his neck.
By
Anonymous, at 12:36 p.m.
So inevitably, later on Harper will blame the Liberals for Flaherty still being there. "Look, I wanted to fire him, but then they told me to, so I couldn't. It's all their fault."
By
Reality Bites, at 4:25 p.m.
Dion and the Liberals could easily fire the finance minister. All it would take is for them to actually stop supporting his economic policy and force an election.
By
Anonymous, at 4:39 p.m.
Powell Lucas said . . .
** Could it be the tax regime in Ontario? You know, the Hon Mr. Flaherty warned the Liberals about this prior to the last budget. **
Liberals complain either way.
If Flaherty had given in to GM and *Buzz*, the cry would have been . .
**Why is Flaherty using our tax money to support the manufacture of obsolete *Buggy Whips*?
eh? = TG
By
TonyGuitar, at 11:25 a.m.
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