 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper at a rally in Ottawa on Monday.
Harper outlines priorities of Tory governmentUpdated Mon. Jan. 2 2006 11:23 PM ET CTV.ca News Conservative Leader Stephen Harper kicked off the second half of the winter election campaign by outlining the top priorities of a Tory government. "If you don't have a clear idea of where you want to go, you probably won't get much done. This is one of the Martin government's greatest weaknesses," Harper said in Ottawa on Monday. "You need to know what you want to do and that you have a plan to do it. Today I'd like to outline the five top priorities of a new Conservative government. The five things we will push first in the parliament Canadians choose." The party's top five priorities include the following:
"A new Conservative government will quickly begin negotiations with provinces on fixing the fiscal imbalance and establishing a wait-times guarantee for critical health-care procedures," he said. Harper also courted the key Toronto vote with the promise that a Conservative government will launch a crackdown on crime. "On Boxing Day, residents of Toronto watched in horror as the city was ravaged by gunfire in open daylight," Harper said, referring to the brazen shooting of 15-year-old Jane Creba on the downtown streets of Canada's largest city. "That is not the Toronto I grew up in. We would not have tolerated such violence then and Torontonians should not tolerate such violence today." Tory measures would include mandatory prison sentences for repeat serious offenders, Harper said. "A Conservative government will crack down on crime. We will act quickly, we will act comprehensively and we will act decisively to fix our criminal justice system," he said. The Liberals currently hold 21 of 22 Toronto seats. Harper also travelled to Jonquiere, Que. -- Bloc Quebecois heartland -- to announce a plan to modernize Canada's aging fleet of CF-18 jet fighters. CFB Bagotville is located near the community and is economically important to the region. However, such a modernization plan is already underway under the Liberals. Gordon O'Connor, the Tories' defence critic, said: "All we're saying is that we're going to continue with the upgrades. We're just saying we're not going to change it." Campaign resumes in earnest Prime Minister Paul Martin had one public appearance Monday -- a photo opportunity at an Ottawa bagel shop. He pitched the message that this campaign is about his party's values. "Mr. Harper does not believe there is an activist role in government supporting the common good. I do," Martin said. But reporters mainly wanted to ask him about the income trust announcement leak case. While a new set of TV ads is designed to reinforce Martin's values message, NDP Leader Jack Layton attacked that theme on Monday. "Mr. Martin hasn't earned the right to speak for Canada's values. Leadership isn't sloughing off another RCMP investigation, this one right into the centre of the Martin government," he said. "Canadians know that they can count on New Democrats and that they need New Democrats in Parliament, to protect public health care and to make it better," Layton said. "So make no mistake about it, politics is going to change, and New Democrats will be that change." Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe urged Martin to remove Ralph Goodale as finance minister over the income-trust affair. Speaking at a campaign stop in Montreal, Duceppe said the matter shows the Liberals have learned nothing from the federal sponsorship program scandal. Green Party Leader Jim Harris released his party's platform in Ottawa. Harris said he wants the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms to guarantee Canadians have clean air and water and uncontaminated soil. With reports from CTV's Tom Clark and Lisa LaFlamme
|
CTV.ca Special
|
