One Week to Go

Well kids, we've almost made it through this 12 week odyssey (six for the lucky majority). One week from today, Canadians from coast to coast to coast will going to the polls and voting for the next Government of Canada. So what better time for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to unveil his party's platform. Yes fans, after getting junk piled over the issue at the leaders' debate last week, the PM took the stage in Toronto to say, "Hey, here's what we're going to do."

So what are they going to do? Well, the plan called "The True North Strong and Free" (gag me), list amongst its goals the following:

Harper, speaking to the Canadian Club in Toronto, said the Conservatives would add $200 million to the Automotive Innovation Fund and another $200 million to the Strategic Aerospace Defence Initiative.

The Tories would also abolish tariffs on a wide range of imported machinery to bolster manufacturing efficiency, he said.

The party would also abandon its controversial changes to film and television tax-credit eligibility

The Conservative platform also includes previously announced proposals, such as:

• A two-cent-a-litre cut in taxes on diesel and aviation fuel over four years totalling $600 million a year once fully implemented.
• Maternity, parental leave benefits for entrepreneurs who pay into employment insurance.
• $85 million in tax breaks for families where one spouse forgoes full-time work to care for a disabled family member.
• Maximum life sentences for offenders as young as 14 convicted of first- or second-degree murder; maximum 14-year sentences for youths who commit violent crimes.
• Teens over 14 who commit serious crimes would no longer have their identities protected.
• Ending conditional sentencing, also known as house arrest, for 30 serious crimes, including robbery, theft and arson.
• Pledging $113 million over five years to crack down on environmental crime, including maximum penalties of $6 million for companies and $1 million for individuals.
• New tax credit totalling $150 million a year for parents of children under 16 enrolled in eligible arts programs

Did you notice that third paragraph there? Hm, I wonder why that would be....

But seriously, speaking of debates, tonight is debate night in the Royal City. The action goes down at Guelph Place banquet hall tonight at 7 pm. But if you can't make it all the way up to Michener Road, then you catch the blow-by-blow on Rogers Television, which is showing the debate live to air starting at 7. I'll have my debate coverage in tomorrow's post.

In the meantime, enjoy this bit of election hilarity from the Rick Mercer Report.