Why I will never vote Conservative.

I have always leaned to the left with my politics. Conservatives would call me a snowflake, but I'm proud of that nickname because it sums up my values. I believe in the investment in people and I believe in helping others. And in my years, I have taken note of the things that helped, and the things that hurt and which governments eased or inflicted the pain. Those years under a Conservative government have hurt me, and very deeply caused a great deal of stress to mine, and my kids' lives. Privatization and deregulation in the Mike Harris years saw me through a bankruptcy, in order to keep the heat on. I was a single mom at the time. My options were non existent. The deregulation of our energy here in Ontario created a whole new industry- energy retailers. This was the way the Tories theorized that it would create more competition within the industry and subsequently lower prices, but if the entity was already government controlled, than we should be receiving the lowest price anyway. They made all kinds of claims of saving the consumer money on their hydro bills if the cost of electricity went up, offering a fixed rate. What lay hidden though, was that the added cost from the actual rate to the fixed rate would be accrued and charged at the end of a full calendar year. The actual price to fixed rate price added up to thousands of extra dollars. No one from the hydro company could do anything to help me and the energy retailer deflected any responsibility back to Hydro. Don't get me wrong here, every month, I faithfully paid my hydro bill so as not to get behind. The bill still came as usual, but what I was not expecting was to have to pay a yearly fee of thousands of dollars to what essentially boiled down to a middleman. We didn't have this problem before deregulation. Our energy was run by and for the people. Stupidly, Kathleen Wynne of the Liberal party ended up selling our provincially run electric grid and decimated her party with that typical Conservative move of privatizing. Some things should remain sacred. Some things should remain under government control to ensure that it is running for us and not to line the pockets of greedy corporations. Things that are vital to us like home heating and our wonderful but could be better healthcare system.

Privatization of healthcare

Alberta is toying with privatized healthcare and Ontario and Quebec offer some private options too. Two out of three of these provinces is led by a Conservative government. Privatizing healthcare is a very slippery slope. Why should those that can afford it receive better or faster care than my, or your child or grandchild? This is the issue with privatization. That the haves should have better, or faster healthcare than the have nots. It separates our society and divides the people. Do you feel the need to be more important than others, because that's the landing this slope ends on. Can you imagine, some freak thing happens to you and you land in the hospital? Stranger things have happened. Despite your good health, something happens. You're there for three days or so and out of pocket for the costs. What if you needed surgery? What if you have a chronic condition and have to see a doctor regularly? What if your child has cancer? Would you expect better care if you could pay for it? Imagine the fear and anguish if you couldn't afford care.

No one is immune to aging. At some point, you will likely have a health issue that requires care. Can you afford to pay out of pocket for it? You had better hope so, or you may be left by the wayside like so many uninsured Americans.

Negativity and divisiveness

Another issue I take very seriously is the tone from which Poilievre speaks his divisive, immature sloganeering and rhetoric. I can't get behind someone who wants to be our leader and speaks to people in this manner. Where is the mutual respect of those who also serve our country? This foulness spreads like a poison in our society. It emboldens others to act in this way, and divides us. It's exactly what is going on south of us. Do we really want to emulate American style politics and MAGA hatefulness in this time of national crisis because of them? Why would we want to emulate anything American for that matter? Would you align with a neighbour that seeks to do you harm or trust a friend who means to squash you? There is less respect between people now because of this bullyish, aggressive rhetoric and that weakens us. Do you truly want a leader who divides us and put us in a vulnerable position weakened by our own divisions? How is that showing love of country? How is that showing leadership? Would Poilievre be a leader that governs for all people, or only for his supporters, just like Trump? Poilievre's disrespectful tone and immature name calling and sloganeering is tiring. I left grade school many moons ago and I don't like going back. I want to hear constructive dialogue between adults, not bluster and bullying.

Canada is broken

Boy does this one ever get me riled. Nonsense. Canada is not broken. It is strong and beautiful and better for the Liberal government that has governed it for the last decade. We have our problems, just like any other country post covid. Inflation hit the entire world, not just us, like Poilievre tries to sell and the housing crisis is an issue in many countries with both Conservative and Liberal governments, and here, housing is governed by provincial and municipal governments. If your community has a housing crisis, look to your Provincial Member of Parliament.

Our country now, offers dental care within the healthcare system. While an NDP idea, the Liberals got it done so that millions of people can benefit from this impressive social program. They have also lifted millions of children out of poverty and helped their parents afford child care. They have funded a national program for millions of children to receive breakfast every day. There's many things we should be very proud of our country for and it's your tax dollars that deliver these programs and services. These wonderful services that your friends and neighbours rely upon. The children in your community that benefit. Those same children may be the ones delivering your healthcare in your senior years, or invent a cure for cancer, or run the country. Shouldn't we offer this type of support to our citizens, to grow and nurture these aspirations within our own society? I think so. Canada is not broken. There are things that we can improve upon but as is with all democracy's- the work continues. If our government doesn't work for the people and the improvement of our society than what is it for at all?

Defunding the CBC

Add this to the list. Our only public broadcaster. One that is not bought and paid for by a greedy human. One that for almost 90 years has brought us reliable, and local journalism that spans across party lines. It produces media that celebrates our differing ethnicities showcasing Canada's diversity. The same one, you grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada on and your parents and grandparents watched the news on. The same one that while talking politics, always includes viewpoints from all parties. If you don't watch it, maybe you should.

For workers fallacy

This is just a Conservative stealing the base. An NDP base. The Conservatives have never stood for workers; they are union busters. They raised the retirement age to 67 in the Harper years and was quickly reduced back down to 65 when the Liberals came in to power. Something that Poilievre voted against. They have always believed in trickle down politics and tax cuts for the rich, while you suffer from their white collar welfare and austerity. History has shown me this both with federal and provincial Conservatives. The workers vote typically goes to the now impoverished NDP who are true proponents of workers rights.

Women's and 2SLGBTQ+ rights

Now, for this one, we need to go back in history a few years. Back to the beginnings of the Reform and Alliance parties of Canada who could not seem to gain ground outside Alberta. Their policies were both, right wing with a strong religious backing. Extremists some would say. This is where Poilievre got his roots, and this is why in this day and age Conservatives believe in anti abortion legislation. We women here in Canada, have had the right to choose since 1988. Why would we choose to go back in time?

Why also, has Poilievre decided to go after 2SLGBTQ+ rights as well? Pushing an oar in and selling it as a concerned parent. Kids are choosing gender affirming surgeries too young, men are playing in female sports. Give me a serious break. I'd like to know why these issues matter so much to some folks and how often each of these issues actually happens. Queer folk have enough issue without politicians using them as pawns in creating these divisive issues. It's simple. Religious ideations being imposed on to our politics. Is that what you want your vote to count for? We have a charter of rights and freedoms for good reason.

Lack of transparency

In typical fashion, our political party leaders, while campaigning have journalists accompany them on their travels across the country, The one and only exception to the rule seems to be Pierre Poilievre, despite singing his own praises of transparency so often. No press has been allowed to travel with him. In fact, Poilievre has often spoken of the "left liberal media" as if they all peddle falsehoods and gossip and is probably also why Poilievre has it in for the CBC. He has not attended an invitation to speak to them despite receiving many offers to. Why? What is he hiding? And why, at press conferences are journalists questions vetted? A total of four questions are asked with no room for follow ups. This seems suspect to me.

No security clearance

In this day and age, we need to be on our guard when it comes to foreign interference. Several instances have come up, where a candidate had been influenced in one way or another with coercion and or threats from foreign governments. Some of them, Conservative party members. Recently it was found that Indians helped to finance Poilievre's leadership campaign. With parliament prorogued until after the election, his reasoning for not getting his clearance now moot. He claimed that he didn't want to get it because once he did, he wouldn't be able lawfully, to discuss and debate the information. With parliament prorogued, no debate was happening anyway. Why not get the clearance? This also feels suspect.

Guns

Why is this still an issue? Conservatives voted against the ban of assault style weapons. I understand that hunters have a stake in this, but can you tell me why, a hunter needs an automatic weapon? Something made to kill multiple men in a single go around? They don't. Period. My father was a hunter and did just fine without an assault weapon. We see what a proliferation of guns can do to a society by paying attention to the news from our neighbours to the south. Mass shootings happen all the time there. In some states, people carry them openly. I guess if you're afraid all the time, maybe one would want to carry a weapon, but we here, don't generally feel like that. We aren't afraid of our neighbours. We already deal with too many weapons coming illegally through our border from south of us, we don't need assault style weapons here, legally or illegally, period.

Proposed For profit incarceration

This one from what I've seen hasn't been in the news for quite some time, but it's roots emanated from Stephen Harper's government. In the US, prisons are a big business as they are operated as for profit. Harper proposed privatizing the prison system here, emulating the US model, building several "super jails", one being here, in southern Ontario. What possibly go wrong with for profit incarceration you ask? Currently, US prisons are full of people who have not even been convicted. In a for profit system, anyone entering the prison system becomes an asset, right? It's not in the business interest to release people. Our government could never commoditize people could they? What's to say it couldn't happen? Just look south of us and see what is truly going on there. A protester could land themselves in jail when suddenly they find themselves a commodity kept indefinitely. I just don't see a need to emulate such a system when it is a very slippery slope of greed and corruption.

Poilievre voted against...

And this is a long list; Raising the minimum wage. The first time home buyers savings account program, $10/ day daycare, children's school food programs, the Canada Child Benefit which raised millions of kids out of poverty, dental care for kids and seniors. He voted against covid relief, middle class tax cuts, old age security supplement, the guaranteed Income Supplement. He voted to ban abortions and he voted to raise the retirement age. He many moons ago voted against gay marriage. He voted for bill C-377 which is an attack on unions. He does not support dental or pharma care, and voted many times against environmental protections. And the list goes on.

I guess, to my eyes, Conservatives are aligned with US style politics and policy and I see no good reason to use American style anything at this point in time. The further the Conservative Party slides to the right, the further away I want to be from them. Erin O'Toole would've brought them closer to center but he was ousted by the far right arm, not recognizing that they alienate their own members with these extreme viewpoints. They're not doing themselves any favours cowtowing to the what most of Canada sees as extremist perspectives. For me, a vote for this modern day conservatism, or a vote for the left is a question of morality.

Elbows Up! Unisex Pullover Hoodie

Buy Now