FELDSTED -- No government can be effective without paying attention to the fundamentals first

The current federal election campaign has a lot to offer; mostly manure of varied consistency, aroma and flavour. There is a noticeable lack of debate and information on issues that really matter to people who will be voting.       The NDP and Green Party are particularly nauseous. Neither has any hope of governing. Instead, one or both hope to prop up a minority government in return for acceptance of some wild policy positions they have taken. That is cynical and revolting. Neither party can attract more than a low (currently 13.6% and 7%) portion of electors, but they hope to jam their policies down our throats as part of a minority government. Their intent is to disrupt our political system in a quest for unearned power.       Jagmeet Singh shot the NDP in its foot, possibly fatally, by announcing a separate party policy for Quebec. Jean Chretien was the last prime minister to employ dual party policies (one in Quebec, another for elsewhere) and that did not end well. Quebec has less than 25% of Canada’s population and its own federal political party; the Bloc Quebecois.       Resentments against federal language policy run high outside of Quebec, so, declaring the NDP not on side with English speaking Canada is a strange position.       Elizabeth May’s determination to make her party more stringently “green” than Al Gore and David Suzuki combined is not comforting. Ms May is strongly opposed to any mining or petroleum development - no drilling; no exploration; no pipelines. It does not occur to her that the federal government lacks jurisdiction, that is because natural resource development is a provincial responsibility.       We do not have a national health care program, what we have ten separate provincial health care programs and a federal program to take care of the territories, indigenous people, federal prison inmates and military personnel. Regardless, both the NDP and Greens are touting a national pharmacare program including dental care.       Very few jurisdictions have pharmacare programs, and those who do offset enormous costs with annual deductibles, per procedure costs and co-payments; costs of services are reimbursed in part, ranging from 50% to 80% and not just on drugs and dentistry but on all health care services.       Both parties are touting free post-secondary education; and the concept is appealing, expensive and open to abuse. Does the program include the costs residency and meals for out of city students, however? What about residents of one city who want to be educated in a university or college in a different city? What about a student who enrolls in a program and fails to pass? Why should the public subsidize failure? Then there are the perpetual students who earn a degree, like the university atmosphere and start over in a different discipline. Do we also provide free master’s degrees and doctorates?       The Green Party election platform runs to 88 pages:       The NDP election platform runs to 109 pages:       These are not election platforms; they are somewhere between policy documents and wish lists. An elected government has real problems to deal with, including creating a fair and even climate for business investment; ensuring that business tax rates are competitive with the USA; reviewing and reducing non-essential spending; simplifying our personal tax structure; confining federal spending to matters in constitutional authority; and respecting provincial constitutional authorities amongst other things. No government can be effective without paying attention to the fundamentals first.      By Gage - Own work, Public Domain 2008 General Election    We cannot continue to expand federal services until we ensure that the current basic programs are funded into the future or amended to ensure they are sustainable over the long haul. We cannot continue to squander funds on support for the United Nations and foreign aid until we are certain that fundamental federal programs are funded, and the books are balanced.       We can be certain that the Justin Trudeau Liberals will have minority governance with NDP support as their fall-back position.       A Conservative minority will produce chaotic parliament and a potential resurrection of the 2008 attempt to hijack parliament with a Liberal / NDP / Green / BQ coalition (not unlike the mess the UK is facing today). Nothing less than a Conservative majority can protect the interests of Canadians.       The grasping interests of minority political parties are playing a key role in this election. Their willingness to prostitute themselves for political power must not be rewarded. The Way I See It ~~ John Feldsted Political Commentator, Consultant & Strategist Winnipeg, Manitoba