Buy a Fake Lake to Market Canada but Plan Cuts: Conservative Fiscal Policy
The G8/G20 meetings spark controversy for the distinct lack of substance Harper has cast upon them (setting the environment as a subservient sidenote to the economy, watering down any significant reform to banking systems, and leaving out critical aspects of maternal health issues CBC News1 4 June 2010). Now they’re also controversial for the incredible $1B + of taxpayer money that the Conservatives are spending to host the events. Sadly, that money looks increasingly like a massive marketing failure.I’ve posted about the Conservatives’ structural deficit and the impending cuts they’ll make, setting our country on a course away from some of the best traits we’ve built. The point is that the Conservatives have said they’ll restrict government growth and certainly cuts will follow.
We face a greater than $54 B deficit and many Canadians still have real and worthwhile needs that aren’t being met due to the continuing effects of financial crises and regular poverty. According to The Star report2 (28 May 2010) the money could otherwise have been spent on
“Three years’ worth of vastly improved health facilities for women and children in developing countries; $1,000 tuition cuts for every student in Canada; 11,000 new construction jobs.”
Not to mention, it could of course have gone into decreasing the deficit, or as the NDP suggested, committing it to foreign aid, which would make a real difference to health services for women in countries that currently lack the means. That would have an effect, unlike the hollow intentions Harper promotes as his topic for the conference. The world is noticing this too, consider what Kenneth Roth, head of Human Rights Watch, said in the Winnipeg Free Press3 (8 June 2010)
“Canada punched above its weight. It was a nation to be contended with. Now, unfortunately, Canada is barely punching at all. . . . it is no longer seen as a strong moral voice on key international issues. . .”
Harper’s Conservatives are committing what in some reports (The Star4 7 June 2010) may reach $2B for holding these questionable conferences. Since the Conservatives don’t appear to care about the more important things that money could be spent on. They’re instead getting a fake lake built in a pricey tourism pavilion, wide screen TVs, a steamboat retrofit that won’t be completed in time for the conferences, and lots of publicity (Financial Times5 8 June 2010).
Harper considers the whole spectacle to be an opportunity to show off Canada and the region in particular to the world. The CBC6 reported (8 June 2010) him saying of the pavillion
“In fact, it’s a $2-million marketing project. . .”
I think that he has a point in promoting Canada on a global stage. Certainly getting publicity for such events can help to raise Canada’s profile in the world. However, that is not the purpose of the event. The event is for world leaders to discuss serious problems. I haven’t yet read a Conservative comment showing how all this marketing and wasteful spending serves that purpose.
Finally, if this really is the time to showcase Canada to the world, and promote tourism or simply good will, wouldn’t it be a good idea to show what we really can do? Rather than fake lakes, show some of our many, beautiful real lakes and couple that with announcements of how we’re finally going to follow through with strong commitments to our environmental obligations.
Show some of our public hospitals and couple that with announcements of how we’re going to spend a significant amount of money helping impoverished nations improve their maternal health resources.
Bring out some fiscal leaders to announce that we’re going to participate meaningfully in banking and other economic reforms to ensure the world doesn’t undergo another devastating financial meldown.
