Green candidate berates Harper's economic record

Sudbury's Green Party candidate David Robinson fired barbs at Stephen Harper's economic record after Statistics Canada reported on Sept. 1 that Canada is in a recession.

"This was a Harper-induced recession," said Robinson, a professor of economics at Laurentian University, in a release. "He gambled on fossil energy and lost. He had no Plan B."

On Monday, Statistics Canada announced that Canada's economy contracted for the second straight quarter, plunging the nation into its first recession in six years - and second on the Harper government's watch.

StatsCan did, however, did say the economy experienced mild growth 0.5% in June.

"We aren't out of the woods yet," Robinson said. "One good month is not a trend. I think the Canadian economy is very strong. Even Mr. Harper can't hold it back. He also can't take credit for the good signs. A prime minister has to work hard to have two recessions during his term in office. Let's assess the government on the basis of its performance - which is one of record deficits and slow growth."

Robinson said that he has a theory as to why Harper's policies have been so poor.

"Canada once had the best civil service in the world -- that was part of the Canadian success story," he said. "Mr. Harper came into power ideologically committed to beheading the civil service. He cut the public service and doesn't listen to it, anyway.

"As a result, he has not got the brainpower to produce a workable economic strategy. All the mistakes and problems are on his head now."

Robinson said the Harper government "has run a long string of deficits "¦ he is having a very hard time convincing anyone that he really will balance the books. Very few economists believe he will."

According to Robinson's news realease, the Green Party is the only national party committed to truly sustainable, ecologically based fiscal reform.

"Canada should be a value-added resource powerhouse. We've got all-star talent, but under Stephen Harper's management, Canada has been playing like the Maple Leafs. It's time to fire the coach and replace him with a coach who knows how to coax her team to perform up to its ability.

"The Green Party knows that we need to get serious about investing in the jobs we need for tomorrow's decarbonizing economy. The world is shifting towards an economy powered by renewables instead of fossil fuels. Canada has to catch up.

"Four more years of Harper's mismanagement could give us a century of stagnation. We just can't afford Stephen Harper."