Conservative leader silent on gas taxes, surplus update, daycare and smaller government.
Lost opportunity to advance taxpayers' interests.

Ottawa: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today reacted to Conservative leader Stephen Harper's failure to articulate public policies on his summer tour of Canada. "The leader of the Official Opposition has been invisible this summer," said CTF federal director John Williamson. "The public is listening for a clear voice, rather than an echo, to challenge the status quo in Ottawa. No federal politician is championing the need to cut gas taxes as a way to offset rising pump prices, or the importance of reducing Ottawa's multi-year, multi-billion dollar surpluses with income tax relief."

With a general election to be called 30 days following the release of the Gomery Inquiry report, the CTF is pressing the political parties to adopt taxpayer friendly policies. Until the federal campaign is underway, the minority Parliament presents numerous opportunities for opposition members to influence government legislation. The priority of the CTF is to advocate for lower taxes, less waste, and more accountable government. Regardless of where an MP sits in the House of Commons, the CTF will highlight political parties and party policies that are out of touch with the common sense of ordinary taxpayers.

Gas Taxes:
Gasoline prices have jumped to a weekly average price of over 93 cents per litre, and have surpassed $1 a litre in many parts of Canada. "Because of the Liberal government's support for the Kyoto Protocol, Ottawa is unlikely to reduce gas taxes unless faced with significant public and political pressure before the election," noted Mr. Williamson. "Public pressure is certainly out there, but where are Mr. Harper's Conservatives It is time to loudly demand removal of Ottawa's 'deficit elimination' gas tax, and end the practice of applying GST to gas taxes."

Growing Surplus and Tax Relief:
The federal surplus, in fiscal year 2004-2005, is estimated to be $8-billion, which is $5-billion higher than the Liberal government predicted in the last budget. "The Official Opposition's response to the surplus news was to offer a critique of Ottawa's accounting methods," said Williamson. "The party leadership should be shouting from rooftops that it is time to end Ottawa's over-taxation of Canadians with broadly based tax cuts, not another costly budget written by the NDP."

More Efficient Government:
It was reported in the Globe & Mail last week that Ottawa is proposing a shakeup of the public service that could eliminate tens of thousands of redundant jobs and save between $2-billion and $4-billion a year. The size of the federal public sector has ballooned to levels that existed before the deficit was eliminated. The Conservative Party issued a release denouncing the measures and for leaving "public servants feeling insecure about their futures, and [damaging] morale." "We thought the Conservative Party favoured making changes to create a smaller, more efficient government and provide government services at less cost to taxpayers. Apparently, we were wrong," said Williamson. "The party instead appears to now support an ever-expanding state."

Daycare:
Maclean's reported in its June 29th edition the Conservative Party will unveil its new daycare policy to provide parents with greater choice - primarily with some level of financial assistance for stay-at-home parents - than the Liberal proposal, which is to only fund regulated daycare service. The magazine reported the announcement would come "in the next few weeks." No announcement has been made.

Corporate Welfare:
The Conservative Opposition no longer opposes the practice of handing tax money to businesses and other so-called "economic development" schemes. "The party simply wants corporate welfare programs, like Technology Partnerships Canada, to be more transparent and accountable," stated Williamson. "And sources tell us the party is now considering altogether abandoning its vow to critically review Ottawa's regional development agencies, like ACOA, in advance of the next election campaign."

"Taxpayers want a voice, not an echo in Parliament. Mr. Harper is not advancing a credible vision to challenge the government's tax-and-spend agenda. His summer of silence has not helped advance taxpayers' issues and some party pronouncements are out of step with what taxpayers want from government, which is a well-organized bureaucracy," concluded Williamson. "In a minority Parliament there are many opportunities to advance taxpayer friendly policies and the Official Opposition should be taking advantage of them."