An Open Letter to Pierre Lemieux MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell (Part II)

At the risk of making a habit out of this, I could not resist the chance to reply to my local Conservative MP, for some comments he made in the September 11th, 2009 edition of our local English language newspaper, Tribune-Expresse. Apparently Mr. Lemieux feels that our newly selected candidate, Ms Julie Bourgeois owes him an apology for refusing to prop up his government. I'm not sure if they'll publish this or not, but at least it made me feel good. Enjoy:

Dear Mr. Lemieux,

I have just finished reading your comments in the September 11th, 2009 issue of Express. As a Liberal, I found your suggestion that an election would serve only our party's interests to be rather interesting. Was it perhaps an unconscious acknowledgement of the fact that your party stands a good chance of regaining its status as her majesty's loyal opposition? I also wonder if you would care to tell your constituents whose interests your party was looking out for in 2008, when you and Prime Minister Harper were wiping your boots with your own fixed election date law?

At the very least, if the opposition parties force an election this fall, it will be through a vote in Parliament, with the support of MPs, whose combined support from the last election amounts to more than 60% of all votes cast, rather than a unilateral decision by a prime minister, whose party had significantly less than 40% of all votes cast in the 2006 election.

I am pleased to read that you spent so much time visiting homes throughout the riding this summer, and that you have now realized how much Canadians want our government to tackle the economic crisis. My only question is... what economic crisis? It seems to me that just last year, during the election campaign, Prime Minister Harper (who would never mislead Canadians) told us all that things were going well, and would not even acknowledge that we were on the verge of a recession! Could it be that the PM had it wrong?

With respect sir, I very much doubt that your government ever had any intention of helping Canadians through these rough times. Your post-election economic update to Parliament stated as much. It was not until the opposition parties threatened to form a Liberal-NDP coalition with Bloc support and remove your party from power, that you caved to their demands, and started taking minimal action on the economy. Simply put, what little economic stimulus that has been provided since the last elections was thanks to the opposition parties.

I do not think anybody wants an election, but as your consituents told you when you visited their homes this summer, we all want a government that will take action to protect the economy. Since your minority government had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the very verge of being cast back into opposition before it would lift a finger, I seriously doubt that yours is the party that should be entrusted to provide such aid. If Canadians want a government that will look out for them in tough economic times, they will have to go back to the polls and vote for one.

Sincerely

Brian Fisher