These days the candidates for federal elections and the MPS who are already serving  in the House of Commons seem to be suffering from confusion on whether or not there should be elections.

Conservatives do not want it at the very least. Liberals are extremely unhappy with the way things are going on in terms of deficit, foreign policy. NDP wants everyone to be very clear that they are not supporting the Harper government; they are supporting the EI that working class families need.

 Indeed in this week’s Generation Next, Mr. Sachin Aagarwal, Deputy Chief of staff to Liberal Leader the Honourable Michael Ignatieff makes it clear in his op-ed piece. But so far the Liberal Party is not unveiling policy matters on what measure a Liberal government will take to boost the economy , so that hundreds of thousands of jobs that have been lost can be created once again. Probably here lies the Liberal’s fault. People, generally, do not trust without knowing what they are getting themselves into. A plan that creates jobs, a plan that will invest in people needs to be out in open.

By the same token, Ms. Rupinder Kaur, press Secretary of New Democrats makes a clear distinction between her party, and the Liberals and Conservatives. Clearly NDP is not happy with the economic report update that was demanded by “the Opposition.”

Last week the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities held a teleconference to update media on economic report that was released.

Minister Baird told the media that stimulus money has been poured down to municipalities and that the government has “given the green light..to start the projects right away.”  “In GTA I haven’t seen much concern, even with the Mayor of Toronto…we are working well,” he said.

 Minster Baird promised that the minute the government receives applications for projects from municipalities, 25 – 30 % money is given to them right away. The rest is paid off within 30 days of invoicing, he said.

A few days ago, Liberals insisted that the government is spending more on Conservative ridings than it is on Liberal ridings, and to please NDP, NDP ridings are given fair amount of money from stimulus dollars. Minister Baird firmly denies any such claims. “That’s just not true,” he says. Minister Baird has been given two mandates by Prime Minister Harper: one to improve existing infrastructure and the second to initiate new projects.

 In City of Toronto, $660 million is being spent on infrastructure after first few bumps and bruises in the relationship between the City and the federal government. In Markham, all 14 projects have been funded. Mississauga has significant amount of work. The Conservative government has spent a lot of money in Durham and Halton region. Every time we fund the municipal project in Ontario, we do it with Dalton McGuinty, Mr. Baird told members of media. 

In response to accusations from the Liberal Party that the Conservatives have taken Canada from surplus to enormous deficit even before the recession hit, Minister Baird said “we have balanced budget before the global economic down turn..they [Liberals] voted for last year’s budget and this year’s budget. Most of the spending we come forward with..and the tax measures are temporary.”

Is a federal election imminent? Minister Baird sounded worried when he responded “We have been in the government for almost four years now. Mr. Ignatieff tabled the motion of non-confidence in the government; that’s the first time any of the Opposition parties have done that. Bloc Quebecoise has said that they’ll support us. There is substantial instability..in the House..because of Mr. Ignatieff’s push.”

The three political parties seem to be far from coming to a consensus. This leaves it up to Canadians to hold their elected representatives accountable for the decisions these lawmakers make in the House of Commons.

Of course this would mean not listening to accusations hurled on one another by these political parties. What Canadians will have to consider is whether or not their quality of life has improved; whether their problems have been heard, looked into and resolved.

So the task ahead of Canadians is simple but a difficult one. To be engaged in political process and to know what your elected representative is up to.

Author: Rahul Mehta