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Hassan Arif
Commentary

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I may not speak English as well as Mr. Harper, but I speak the truth better."

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File

Federal Liberal party leader Stéphane Dion speaks to media and employees of Eagle Precision in Brantford, Ont.

This statement was made by Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion at a campaign speech he gave in Toronto. After a shaky start to his campaign, Dion has found his momentum and come out fighting. Meanwhile, Conservative fortunes are eroding as, for the first time in this campaign, it is not a given that Harper will form the next government.

This has not helped by Harper's response to the current global economic crisis which, like the response of his counterpart John McCain in the United States, has been muddled and confused. Both remain wedded to the policies of deregulation which set off the crisis on Wall Street in the first place.

On the economy, the Liberals have the most credibility. The Chrétien-Martin governments eliminated federal budget deficits and replaced them with surpluses. They also oversaw a period of economic growth and new investment in our economy.

Where the previous Liberal governments did fall short was on poverty and the environment. However, Dion is compensating for these past shortcomings. For instance, he has made the environment a centrepiece of his agenda. His Green Shift plan, which would be far more effective than a cap-and-trade system, is an ambitious plan to combat greenhouse gas emissions by taxing companies that pollute the environment while providing tax breaks for lower- and middle-income families. It only makes sense that those who pollute should pay their fair share.

Dion's platform also includes an aggressive plan to combat poverty, including child poverty, in Canada. This is a clear message that the weakest and most vulnerable will not be left behind.

Some commentators, such as the CBC's Rex Murphy, have compared Dion to Pierre Trudeau, as both are Quebecers with a strong commitment to federalism. However, a more apt analogy for Dion may be another former Liberal Prime Minister, Lester Pearson.

Dion's low-key style and likeable persona is reminiscent of Pearson. Also, both have a strong sense of public service. Dion's devotion to the cause of national unity led to his drafting of the Clarity Act. Pearson's actions took him to the global stage, where he played a key role in the establishment of the UN Peacekeeping Force.

Like Dion, Pearson's initial time as Liberal leader was marked with turbulence. However, Pearson found his footing and was ultimately elected prime minister.

Pearson's minority governments were among the most legislatively productive in Canadian history. Through co-operation with the NDP, our nationwide system of public health care was established. As well, immigration laws were liberalized, removing provisions which discriminated against non-Europeans, thus laying the groundwork for Trudeau's multicultural Canada.

The Pearson government also saw the establishment of a new, distinctively Canadian, flag for our country.

If the Liberals pull off an upset win tomorrow, they will have the same potential for a progressive agenda as the Pearson government did during the 1960s. This is especially the case as the next government likely will be a minority, which will necessitate working with other parties - in particular the NDP and possibly the Greens - thus incorporating their ideas into the government's agenda.

Both Jack Layton of the NDP and Elizabeth May of the Green Party are strong leaders in their own right, and have run strong campaigns in this election. Layton is to be credited with having the foresight to call for an immediate withdrawal of Canadian combat forces from Afghanistan. He came to the conclusion, which commanders on the ground have now come to as well, that Afghanistan - with its forbidding terrain and hostility to outside armies - is unwinnable through combat.

The Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, offers an important new voice in Canadian politics and she performed strongly in both debates. She has shown that the Greens are more than just a one-issue party. Hopefully, she'll win her seat in Nova Scotia.

Ultimately, the Liberals are the only party with a chance to defeat Harper and replace him at 24 Sussex Drive. They are also the strongest on economic management and have the governing experience that will be essential, given the turbulent state of the current global economy. While the Liberal position on Afghanistan has been muddled, the party has strong policies on poverty, social justice and the environment and the potential to be a strong and progressive government.

It is hoped that in the next Parliament, the Liberals, the NDP, and the Greens can co-operate, find common ground, and overcome the hyper-partisanship that has too often plagued Canadian politics. Canada is one of the few Western democracies where party leaders are hesitant to work together. This is unusual, as coalition governments are the norm in Europe and, in the United States, "reaching across the aisle" is a virtue trumpeted by both Republicans and Democrats.

Tomorrow's election will be a chance to take our country back, to have a Canada where the issues of social justice, poverty, Aboriginal rights and the environment are front and centre. It will likely be a close race, too, so it is important for everyone to get out and vote. Every vote could matter.

Hassan Arif is a graduate of UNB Law School and received his MA in Political Science at Carleton University. He resides in Fredericton.