Debate Prep

Many journalists have taken an interest in the leaders’ preparations for the upcoming debates. At my end, there is general anticipation and excitement to finally hear the Green vision expressed at the leaders’ round table. Tomorrow night, I will be sitting next to Stephen Harper at an oval table with all the other leaders. The format has been changed a good deal since the last leaders’ debates in Canada. For one thing, no one will have scripts or policy documents in front of them. If the candidates sound packaged and prepped, it’s all coming from memory. We will also be seated throughout the course of the evening and there will be more time allotted for general discussion and open debate than in past years.

I began my preparations for the French debate late this afternoon by going over some of the things I am likely to say in my opening statement and measuring the time I was given (45 seconds) for this introduction. My French tutors then corrected any errors and suggested more concise and clear ways of expressing my ideas. But just as we were close to polishing the opening statement, we discovered that the debate formats had been changed. No opening or closing statements. This time, it was not the initiative of the network consortium to modify the debate, but the demands of Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister. He suggested today that, given the state of crisis regarding the US economy and its possible repercussions here, a full half of the debate should be dedicated to discussing the economy. It is true that this is a hot button issue and very relevant to Canadians’ mentalities regarding politics right now. I feel that we need to address the economic worries by talking about the real facts, the most solid evidence to be found on the economy. I don’t believe politicians are the ones who will give Canadians a better understanding of this issue or a realistic understanding of where all the parties stand.

Although Stephen Harper trumpets his strong hand on the wheel, I have not heard him give any serious analysis of the economic situation, and I frankly would be surprised to hear him say anything new during the debates. He has said that our fundamentals are strong, yet economists are saying that they will likely be influenced by the downward turn in economic security in the US. Don Drummond, Senior Economist for TD Bank, said today that the Conservatives’ projections for the economy are overly optimistic, and they could create deficits without knowing it. Meanwhile, Mr. Harper talks about “not taking risks”. It is a scandal that no one has asked him to explain the risks he seems more than willing to take. His economic policy has reduced our productivity and caused us to be more vulnerable to international shocks by putting all our proverbial eggs in the tar sands’ basket and breaking his promise on income trusts, allowing foreign companies to buy up Canadian companies. We have lost 400,000 jobs in manufacturing, 100,000 in pulp and paper and damaged other sectors sensitive to the dollar, such as tourism and the fishery. The OCED report (June 2008) warns that Harper’s direction is a risky one at a time when US recession looms. On top of which, the Conservative government has taken no real domestic action to deal with climate change and has moved our international position in Kyoto negotiations to follow suit with the outgoing Bush doctrine. I hope Canadians are not fooled. The greatest risk is in re-electing Mr. Harper.

It is scandalous that the television networks can be influenced to the extent of the subject of the debate at the last minute by one of the debate participants. Yes, the economy is an important issue. But Canadians are aware that there are many others. What good is a strong economy if it lasts two seconds and gives profit to a minority of the population? The debates will not include subjects like justice for First Nations peoples or dealing with poverty in Canada. They will not address child care, arctic sovereignty or fresh water protection. Many important subjects are on the agenda, not the least of which is the economy. But what will Canadians get from a 28 minute debate on economics? If the others all stick to their traditional rhetoric, my guess is that viewers will be likely to flip the channel. On the night of the English debates, the temptation is already enormous to watch Biden and Palin duke it out instead of tuning into the Canadian election. I would not be surprised if that was Harper’s tactic to begin with. After all, we know he doesn’t like going without a script.

Despite this long tirade, I am not entirely unhappy about the decision to focus on the economy in the upcoming debate. Stephen Harper seems to think he can carry the day on economic policy with a couple lines about steady hands and Liberal spending. I am preparing to show Canadians that the Green Party has a good deal of strong economic policies and the Prime Minister has nothing more to offer than some boutique tax cuts, climate change denial and a phony line about the oppositions’ policies “wrecking the economy”.