Bill Morneau to address economic jitters as he touts Liberal achievements

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau is launching his pre-election message Tuesday in Greater Toronto, the first of a series of speeches to tout Liberal achievements while acknowledging the financial anxieties felt by many, The Toronto Star has learned.

OurWindsor.ca
Jan 24, 2019
Bruce Campion-Smith

OTTAWA--Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau is launching his pre-election message Tuesday in Greater Toronto, the first of a series of speeches to tout Liberal achievements while acknowledging the financial anxieties felt by many, The Toronto Star has learned.

If Morneau’s messaging is any indication, the Liberals intend to infuse their “sunny ways” election slogan in 2015 with a sobering overview of the concerns confronting Canadians.

And Morneau will tell business audiences Tuesday there’s no shortage of worries, from the job market --where radical changes now unfold every few years rather than every couple of generations --to the environment and climate change, affordability and retirement and the concerns of business owners.

Despite job growth, low unemployment and forecasts of continued growth in Canada, Morneau will bluntly say that Canadians see an uncertain future ahead, according to a draft speaking notes obtained by the Star.

All that talk of uncertainty lays the groundwork for Morneau to argue in the speech that the Liberals are the party best positioned to govern for another term.
Canadians, he will say, are better off than they were in 2015 when the Liberals were first elected, thanks to initiatives like an income-tax cut for individuals and new accelerated capital cost allowances rules for business, and the Canada Child Benefit and Canada Workers Benefit, which are helping lift people out of poverty.