One recently released US study found that some voters, particularly women and self-identified feminists, were less likely to vote for men with beards, because of their perceived “heightened masculinity”.
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When political parties start looking for money it’s always an easy target to look to military spending.
The politics of military procurement preoccupied the federal leaders Monday as they fired rhetorical missiles at each other over the future of Canada’s ill-fated attempt to buy new fighter jets.
Both the auditor general and parliamentary budget officer questioned the government’s claim that the jets would cost only $16 billion over 20 years, and instead pegged the true costs to be several billions of dollars more.
Our opponents can say whatever they want about Justin Trudeau.
One of the five questions in the morning session with reporters this morning was about the F-35.
Trudeau is running out of time, is in trouble in his own riding and this debate had to be a springboard to recovery not only for him, but for the Liberal campaign.
“My understanding is that it isn’t just that the Liberal leader said he would scrap that particular program; he has indicated we do not need that kind of capacity in our air force”, Harper said at an event in Windsor, Ont. He said the domestic economic spinoffs in Canada for the F-35 would be “critical” for the aerospace industry and the manufacturing sector. It too was an easy win for the NDP in 2011 for Peter Stoffer.
Mulcair also pledged to do more for the country’s military veterans, promising more federal health care support, including $454 million over four years for treatment of post-traumatic stress. From there Mulcair went on to campaign in Prince Edward Island.
In Tom Mulcair, the NDP has a Leader with a concrete plan to fix the damage of Stephen Harper, the courage of his convictions, and a track record of backing those convictions up with action – just like he did when he voted against C-51. Mulcair acknowledged that Canada needs a new fighter jet.
The Tory government announced in July 2010 its decision to buy the F-35 Lightning II, without following a competitive process, as the replacement for the CF-18s. Trudeau said he was being honest. Mulcair asked, “How can he decide in advance before the process?”
The purchase of the jet was then put on hold while officials conducted additional studies and analyses, while the life of the CF-18s was extended to 2025. Byers has repeatedly criticized the F-35 purchase. He touted his government’s balancing of the 2014-15 budget-an exploit achieved through accounting tricks, years of austerity, and last-minute “underspending” by several ministries-to posture as a safe pair of hands for the ruling elite under conditions of deepening economic crisis.
Trade lawyer Lawrence Herman, of Herman and Associates, said Harper’s comments are a sign that “Canadian auto and parts manufacturers will certainly be getting less in the TPP than what they got in NAFTA”, the North American Free Trade Agreement.
“High taxes and permanent deficits do not create jobs”, Harper said.
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“The Liberal Party is living in a dream world if they think we could pull out of the development project of the F-35 and not lose business”. At one point, the debate with three leaders mutated into a mud-slinging war of words between Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair, with only Stephen Harper to benefit with a well-crafted answer when opportunity arose to jump in.
